Red Wine
by risen truth ruthless lies
Summary: In which Younger siblings play match maker, Itachi woos and Hinata is wooed. Sasuke helps his brother and Neji...Oh my! Non-Ninja Off hold!
1. Pool?

Disclaimer: I have no claim over Naruto

Chapter One

Pool?

The Hyuuga household is almost like a fortress, with the maids and servants rushing about or standing in the halls awaiting their next call. If you listened closely you could here the scratch of pen on paper or the clicks of fingers dancing across keyboards.

The floors were always polished white and the furniture never a hair out of place, the kitchen was always tempting with its rich and exotic smells. The agriculture almost like smoothed marble and the windows like a clear veil.

You would think anyone living there would be proud and wouldn't dare think of causing any clutter, wouldn't dare try and slide across the floors because they seemed to beckon you with their gleaming.

That didn't stop her sister, nope not at all.

In fact she was sure she had just run down to the basement which even as a basement was luxurious, with the Pool table and the darts along with its multiple beanbags strewn about around a single flat screen T.V. Yes indeed her sister had certainly laid claim over the basement.

It was just as confusing that their father didn't seem to mind as strict as he was, it shocked her. But it didn't help her as of this moment, Hanabi her younger sister had drug her down to the basement with her friends. Temari and Ten-Ten.

Hinata bit her lip at the gleam in the three girls eyes something was amiss, but what?

As soon as she was down there Hanabi took the left side of her pool table, Ten-Ten the right and Temari at the end opposite to herself. The pony tailed blond at the other end interlaced her hands together and rested her chin over her folded hands.

Hanabi's snowy white eyes were twinkling and Ten-Ten had a grin that threatened to crack her face in half.

"Hinata…Can you play Pool?" Temari asked gesturing to the table and it contents, Hinata stammered slightly.

"P-pool? Y-yes I can play." It was a favorite past-time of hers actually, when she wasn't busy with The Hyuuga affairs she would play with Hanabi and occasionally some friends.

"How good are you?" Temari had picked up one of the pool sticks polishing it with her thumb lightly.

"Yeah you think you can beat us?" Hanabi said twirling her own stick. Hanabi was only three years younger then her after all she was seventeen now, making Hinata twenty.

Temari was Twenty One as was Ten-Ten and the three were quite the group of plotters, once they had gotten Kiba to streak across the football game in their graduation game.

"I d-don't know I-I've never played with Temari-Chan and Ten-Ten-Chan at the same time." She really hadn't but she wanted to, pool was a very passionate game to her.

She loved the challenges and how the angles were always twisting and turning about; no game was ever the same twice, even against the same person. It was a mind game really and she loved to figure out new things, it was refreshing every time.

She had once (caused by Hanabi of course) gone against her father, it was a narrow win. But a win none the less and against her father as well! She had been even if it hadn't shown prideful that she managed to beat him in something.

He had of course berated her and said she should use such passion for her work and not some silly game, which she tried to she really did. But the papers and the documents, they were either all the same or were too complicated for one such as her.

Needless to say she loathed paper work.

"Then how about we find out?" Ten-Ten replied her voice tinged with laughter as she set up the balls. Hinata out of habit turned a bit red in the face, she nodded all the same and walked over to the pool stick display.

Her fingers trailed lightly over the polished wood and she smiled at its smooth texture, of course they were all fine pieces of craftsmanship. But her favorite was the one below at the left, Kiba and Shino being the good Brother-like friends they were had gone out with Neji to hand make it themselves.

She adored it and was at first scared to play with it, afraid she would break it as it looked more of a show item then anything else. But once she had started with it, she never played without it again.

The wood was a dark rich oak color that Shino had come up with; Kiba being the whittler that he was in his spare time had carved the Hyuuga crest in the handle at the bottom just where her hand would be placed. Neji had been the one to shape it and had added his own designs, of course adding Kiba and Shino's Signatures.

White flames danced at the very bottom stopping midway allowing pale silver blue butterflies to fly from them, a small white dog had been painted in as well howling from the flames but never being burned. In its center in dark violet and blue letters was her name. Hinata Hyuuga.

No one could steal it from her without ruining its craftsmanship, and no one would want too.

Hinata picked up her pool stick with a slight trembling in her hands, she was eager to play. Temari started by breaking the small pyramid hitting three shots before missing.

"You're up Hanabi." Temari said clapping the younger girl on the back. Hanabi had grinned her long hair being thrown out of the way as she struck. The balls hit with sharp and resounding clicks as the game went on; no one had noticed good hour had passed between them.

Finally after some mild cursing from the blond and her younger sister, it was down to the eight ball. Ten-Ten's eyes glittered as she hit the white ball a bit forcefully, it connected with a sharp crack and the black eight ball had shot straight into the walls stopping dead in the center.

"Damn, I hit it too hard." Ten-Ten muttered Hinata placed a hand on her back comfortingly; it was only a game after all. Her frosty white eyes gleamed a game she had no intention of losing.

She walked over to the Pool Table not withdrawing into herself as she saw her friends were staring at her, wondering if she would hit. After all a dead-center shot was almost never a one hit in.

She leaned over the side her arm brushing the dark wood briefly as she aligned herself with her pool stick, occasionally twisting her angles so as to get a better look at the outcome.

She finally settled in the lower left corner and hit the white ball to the side, it smack into the left wall then the right before beaming the black ball into the upper right hole.

Hanabi wiped her forehead with her hand her eyes were like beacons of light, and Hinata hadn't the slightest clue as to why.

"Well that settles that." Temari said before Hanabi had ran up the stairs her feet slapping loudly on the floor. Hinata blinked in confusion.

"Settles what?" Before another word could be spoken a roar of frustration and anger could be heard from upstairs. Neji? It seemed to be so as he chased her younger sister down the stairs his usually pale face red.

"I will not have Hinata-Sama go to a BAR Hanabi!"

"A-a B-bar?" The girls grinned.

"But Neji~ you said ANYTHING we wanted! Plus it's her old Sensei's chain link bar!" Hanabi whined.

"Kurenai?" She didn't even know she had a chain-link bar! What else had gone on with her old teachers?

"Yeah let her go girly-boy!" Temari snickered; Hinata bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. She had to admit he did look a tad…feminine.

"I am not girly!" Neji shouted indignantly, this time Hinata did laugh. Since when was neji so… Childish?

"Oh sure~ your not what with the long flowing hair and those slacks, your every girls dream date." Ten-Ten said holding a hand to cover her giggling, though it didn't help much.

"Why! Why I should ban you from this household!" Neji cried. Hanabi looked up at their cousin fake tears brimming in her eyes.

"You wouldn't really wouldn't you?" she said her voice all cracked Neji quickly threw his hands up in a criss-cross motion back and forth rapidly trying to make amends.

"N-no not really! I was just joking I swear!" he shouted.

"C-can…w-we go t-to the B-bar t-tonight t-then?" a doom cloud seemed to form over Neji's head as he said yes muttering under his breath.

"It's not cute when you stammer…" he said lowly, Hanabi grinned cheekily before grabbing hold of one of Hinata's cheeks pinching it slightly.

"Your right Neji-Nii! Hinata's the cutest stammerer there is!" Hinata blushed all over again as the banter continued. Mostly involving her and her Blushing/Stammering Habits.

"Well as much as I wish I could see this continue we need to go shopping!" Temari shouted as Ten-Ten quickly snapped her phone shut.

"Why do you need to go shopping? There are plenty of clothes here!" Neji said baffled.

"You wouldn't get it Neji-Nii."

"It's a girl thing." Ten-Ten finished.


	2. Dealing with Exs

Chapter Two

Dealing With Exs.

Further down from the Hyuuga Household was an average road of houses, some tall and some small. One of these houses was certainly average, but not so much so that it is displeasing to the eye. You just had to look at it to catch your eye; of course this is exactly what the home owner had wanted.

The inside of the house was another matter; it was filled with expensive furniture and smelled of spices. It was rather plain but you could tell by the appliances that the owner of this house had spent a pretty penny.

Even though it held only five rooms it didn't matter to the Uchiha, it was all that was needed. An easy escape from the outside world, had his girlfriend and little brother leave him be. Sadly both insisted on stopping by daily, or whenever the chance arose.

To say he was frustrated would be an understatement, but no one could tell by looking at him. He never paused in his work and never lost the composure he was famous for.

Yes this was the home of Itachi Uchiha and he preferred it quiet, something of which he almost never got.

His little brother was currently in his study leaning back on one of the chairs, just staring at him. Of course he was just waiting for him to finish with what he was doing, which wouldn't be for another hour or so.

The door banged open only moments later his red haired girlfriend charging in with a furious expression on her face. Karin. He didn't choose to date her, nor did he want to. Had it been up to him he would have been left alone in solitude, but his father was insistent and was trying to tie a marriage between the two of them to bind the two companies.

He would have scoffed at the thought but then he would lose his stoic expression, he honestly thought it was foolish to bind two companies through marriage. Especially since the Uchiha were famous for their fighting techniques and chain link restaurants, while the Suniko were famous through music and starting up new bands.

He hadn't a clue as to how his father had gotten the idea that the two companies would work well together, certainly not. It didn't help at all that the Heiress was a stubborn, spoilt brat.

"Itachi-Kun! You were supposed to meet at the restaurant an hour ago!" She whined. He felt a vein twitch in his forehead. Did she not see the papers overflowing on his desk?

She had gone all out for a small event as well, another thing he was reluctant to admit that he loathed. She was wearing a strapless red, shockingly red dress with bright red heels. Her eyes were blood red and her hair, red. Her nails manicured and painted what do you expect? Red.

It was like the color had thrown up on her, he had never seen so much red on one person before. Nor had he wanted to.

"I was busy." He responded picking up his pen once more as he read over the documents; he swore he heard Sasuke snicker under his breath.

"So? You can easily have your co-workers do…this." She swung her arm out over the papers a few landing on the floor. Another vein. Why did his father stick him with such persistently annoying women?

"I'm afraid not." He wouldn't way his workers down with such work; it was his to do anyway. As much as he was loath to admit such a thing, besides all of these papers had to have HIS signature.

"Why not?" Again with the whining? She distantly reminded him of an annoying puppy. He hated dogs.

"They require my signature." Her heels clicked on the floor in a pacing motion, he didn't stop in his work until her hand was thrust into his face.

"Surely the council will understand, after all they have our…arrangement to think about." He was sure his brother was choking on laughter by now as Karin stamped her heel on the floor irate by his silence.

"That's IT!" she shrieked.

He looked up at her from his desk.

"I give UP! You hear me now Uchiha? We're through!" Then picking up her red hand bag she stormed out of his study with a slam of the door, then out of his house.

"Well that lasted what a week?" Sasuke said smirking. Itachi shook his head with a weary sigh. His brother frowned.

"She WAS right about one thing though." Itachi turned towards his little brother which was all Sasuke needed to know he had his attention.

"What would that be then little brother?" Sasuke scoffed but continued from earlier.

"You need to get out more, I mean the only company you have is whenever the family or the council visits this place. I'm not saying you should go on vacation for a month. I'm just saying that you should head out for tonight." Itachi's eyes narrowed and his eyebrows furrowed.

He might consider such a thing, if he hadn't to do so much paperwork. Of course his brother found a way to tip that too with his next words.

"You two months ahead in this anyway, I'm sure one night won't kill you." With that said Sasuke stood up and threw him a thick wax sealed envelope, and then he strode out the door with his head held high as if he had just accomplished an important task dealt to him by the councils.

He put the envelope at the side and picked up the pen once more, the scratching of paper being the only sound in the house.


	3. Dresses and Kakashi

Disclaimer: Don't Own

Chapter Three

Dresses and Kakashi

Temari walked over to the clothes stores determination set and stone in her dark teal blue eyes. She approached a man with silver hair resembling a flame and whacked him in the back of the head.

"I didn't do it Kurenai!" He had shouted before slowly turning around.

"Oh Hey Temari." Temari shook her head in exasperation as Ten-Ten and Hanabi Drug her over to the group.

"Ah I see you've got her!" Kakashi said with a grin, at least that's what she thought as he was wearing some sort of face mask covering more then half his face.

Hinata was baffled to say the least what was supposed to be so important that they upset Neji then try and drag her to a bar?

"Well since she seems to be confused how about we enlighten her shall we?" Kakashi said ushering the four girls over to a table in the food courts of the mall.

'So Hinata you want to know whats up?" Hanabi said, Hinata nodded a bit abashed by the sudden change of routine.

"Well open this and you'll find out." Kakashi threw her a thick wax sealed envelope, which she barely caught before it slid off the table.

"It's an invite, a reunion so to speak." Ten-Ten said eating her dumplings quickly.

"A-an I-invite?"

"Hai everyone is going to be there if they can." Hanabi said with a wink.

"Maybe even Naruto." Temari said slyly, Hinata felt her face flame twenty different shades of red. Even after all these years she was still affected by him. Hopefully she wouldn't faint if she saw him…

"Yeah the old man here even had the gall to invite the Uchihas' to a bar none the less." Temari said with a sneer, Temari's family was well known for fans and desert resorts so she once had an 'arrangement' with one of the Uchiha Heirs which one she was never told.

Ten-Ten had also been snared into one of these 'arrangements' she said it wasn't so bad just that he wasn't her type. Needless to say Hinata never found out which He that He was. Ten-Ten's family was known for its exotic weaponry and Hinata had once bought some weapons, they were exquisite to say the least.

"Hey! I'm not that old…" Hanabi snorted.

"Says the one with grey hair."

"Its silver!" was there anyone her friends couldn't make indignant? Hinata resealed the envelope quietly and picked up her bag.

"S-Shall w-we get started t-then?" She said with a small smile, the others (minus Kakashi) leapt up with some sqees and some smirks. Before she knew it she was thrust into a changing stall dresses being thrown onto the metal bar for her to try on.

Why dresses? She then recalled the letter it was a 'formal' event, but why at a bar for such an event? She shook her head at least she wasn't going alone, her face flamed again at the thought of her old crush.

He was always so oblivious and had once dated Sakura, until the end of their High School years. She had been envious of the pink haired girl, but she eventually had accepted the fact that she wouldn't be Naruto's girlfriend anytime soon.

It was just a reaction that she blushed whenever he was mentioned or near, she couldn't help it. She picked through the dresses timidly not wanting to ruin any of the fabric, even if she could easily replace such things.

But Hinata was someone who took great value in things, even more so if they didn't belong to her. She went through at least five dresses before Temari had told her to stop and step out in the one she was now wearing, she had stuttered and tried to protest but Hanabi had yanked her out of the stall with an excited vigor.

"That looks great Hinata-Nee!" Hanabi shouted pulling at the edges of the sleeves, Hinata blushed at the complement.

"True Hanabi she's doing that dress justice." Temari said with a drink of her coke, Ten-ten merely said

"Neji's going to pitch a fit when he sees the two of you." Hinata quickly changed out of the dark sapphire blue dress and they all paid for the dresses before taking Ten-Ten's jeep back to her place.

It wasn't too long before Ino had slammed open the basement door dresses in a light green dress that slit at the left knee with light appliance of blackish blue eye shadow. Her hair being as long as it was trailed down her back in waves.

"Sai's going to keel over when he sees you in that." Ino laughed.

" I would hope so, we haven't seen each other in a week since his job is keeping him wrapped in chains." The Ino looked at the clock hanging by the dart board (whose bright idea was that anyway?)

"You guys! You only have an hour!" Everyone immediately went quiet, you could have heard a pin drop. Then everything fell into chaos as everyone was rushing to get their dresses and make up applied.

It didn't take long for everyone to meet up at Temari's Silver jag, each girl decked out in their own unique apparel. Temari in a jade green dress and suna earrings her hair let down to stop at her shoulders.

Ten-Ten in a dark gold dress that stopped at the knees, not to short but enough to run in, her hair being let down as well stopping at her shoulder blades dark brown and gold eye shadow applied over her eyes.

Hanabi in a pale cream (surprising since Hanabi was always over zealous in anything she did.) with pale white dusted around her eyes giving her a mature look, which would be needed as she was underage.

Hinata herself was in a dark sapphire blue dress that slit at both knees and had no sleeves but had sleeves at her elbows down to her hands in a sort of willow. Dark blue black eye shadow was applied thanks to Ino who wouldn't take no for an answer.

"Good we're ready! Let's go!" Ino shouted jumping into the passenger seat.

Hinata sighed softly she had a feeling tonight would be full of twists, some she was sure she would be skittish of. She merely hoped she wasn't left alone tonight.


	4. Firecrackers

Disclaimer: Don't Own

Chapter Four

Firecrackers

"Hey! Teme! Are you listening!" Sasuke gave his supposedly best friend a side glance; the blond was currently pestering him about something with rings.

"Hn." Naruto glared at him before trying to slug his arm, Sasuke moved to the right causing Naruto to pitch forward face planting into the ground.

"Hey!" He shouted from the ground. Sasuke ignored him; he had more important things to think about. Like how he was supposed to get his brother to show up at the Bar for the reunion.

His father had made it very clear that he needed to get Itachi to go, seeing as how Sasuke was the closest to his brother out of the family after Shisui had been killed in a wreck.

His brother had become even more reserved, even for an Uchiha. So it was supposed to be an attempt to get him to mingle, Sasuke would have scoffed had he not been in company. Who would want to mingle with others only four months after your best friend's death?

All in all it was a shock to Sasuke that Itachi chose to talk at all, even to him. Their father wasn't helping much either forcing those girls on him, if anything it probably made his brother even more bitter.

Sasuke didn't think a girl would help his brother, not at all with their constant need for attention and gifts. That wasn't what his brother needed.

But he couldn't guess at to what was needed, but going to this gathering WOULD be a benefit to see which companies would aid the Uchiha. That much he had to admit.

"Yo." Both boys looked up to come face to face with their old Sensei.

"Kakashi." He acknowledged with a curt nod, Naruto of course yelled and gave the man a good hand shake. Reluctant of Kakashi he was sure.

"Are the two of you going to show up tonight?" Kakashi asked, he was laid back at the moment almost sure of something.

Sasuke nodded.

"Of course I am!" Naruto shouted, at least he didn't say believe it as often anymore that was so annoying. Kakashi eye smiled at them, Sasuke had long since given up on trying to read his mask.

"Ah that's good, What about your brother Sasuke have you convinced him yet?" Sasuke shrugged.

"I don't know, its Itachi if he shows up it's of his own will not any of ours." Kakashi nodded.

"Well I'm sure he'll show, after all this is one of the best bars in Konoha." Naruto grinned before launching into a story of how his Father had gotten beaten by his Mother at poker, again.

Sasuke shook his head once Kakashi pulled out his book, he was surrounded by idiots. Wasn't this bar owned jointly by Tsunade and Jiraiya? He looked over the invitation, this was going to be one hell of a night.

When he finally DID get there he was surprised to see how many people had shown up.

Itachi was not amused. At ALL. His mother (who else would have the audacity) had blocked his computer so he couldn't print off any more documents or paperwork. Not that he enjoyed them. But they needed to get done.

He ran his hand through his hair, what could he do? It was already nine and the office blocked anyone from entering at this time of night. How ever early it may seem. The computer pinged and he found he had received an email.

From his mother.

He opened it albeit reluctantly, after all his mother was one scary woman when she wanted to be. His eyes widened over the very graphic threats that had been sent to him, he had no idea how violent she was up until now apparently.

His eyes distantly caught the sealed envelope he had never bothered to open, it surely wouldn't hurt as much as what his mother had threatened correct?

He picked it up and removed the seal scanning the paper, of course. Kakashi. Another message. Mother. He closed that out and got dressed for the event. He wasn't going to chance that the message was more threats. He knew that it was.

He dressed in a simple pair of jeans and a black t-shirt a white bandanna wrapped around the upper left of his shoulder, this was as formal as he would get for a bar. Anything else would get damaged or stained and he had no interest in washing out such stains.

Driving to the event was almost as mush as a bother as the paperwork, traffic jams among other things. When he finally DID manage to arrive he remembered he had completely overlooked that this was a reunion.

Meaning it was highly likely that he was to come across old and new acquaintances alike.

He ran his hand over his face, this was JUST what he needed, he rested his head on the steering wheel. He had to go in sooner or later, lest he wish for Kakashi to come out and get him himself.

That wasn't what he needed either for his reputation as well as his dignity; pride was out of the matter. Itachi felt those who were prideful were also those who were vain and arrogant, ironic as he unknowingly held himself in a way only an Uchiha could.

A prideful stature so to speak, born around those who were bitter or stoic often led to growing up in such a way. He was unconscious of the fact that he knew so well, was also applied to himself at a glance.

He closed the black jags door and looked over at the bar; there were many that was to be sure. But Itachi had seen more and thus was not affected. How ever he DID try to avoid those he knew, as he had no wishes of speaking of the past.

Unfortunately as luck, fate whatever you wanted to call it would have it; he came across the very silver jag of his Ex from suna. This wouldn't end well he was sure, even more so when he saw her scowling at him once she exited the drivers seat.

Itachi was screwed.


	5. Old and New Alike

Disclaimer: Don't Own

Chapter Five

Old And New Alike

The way Temari had suddenly slammed the door to her car had certainly shaken the others, save for Ten-Ten.

"Oh no, Temari!" Ten-Ten had quickly left the car followed by Ino and Hanabi. Hinata being the only one left peeked through the windows, as she was a conflict avoiding person. Judging by Temari's scowling features a conflict was indeed to arise.

It was apparently because of that man who had approached the car, he didn't seem to be looking for any trouble, and judging by the way he was inching back he certainly didn't want any attention.

Hinata sighed and opened the door, getting another wary look from the man as if he expected everyone here to try and jump him. At least that's how he reacted in Hinata's point of view.

"Temari-Chan." Hinata said trying to sound stern, if she didn't her words would go unheeded,

Temari briefly took her attention away from the man and focused her narrowed teal eyes on her.

"We didn't come here for a-any trouble. W-we should just l-leave." Hinata was a bit proud of herself, for momentarily dropping most of her stutter. It seemed to snap the fan mistress out of it for she stopped struggling in Ten-Ten and Ino's grasp.

"Tch lets go." That said Temari turned around and started towards the bar her head held high and her shoulders thrown back, a proud posture she was known for.

Hinata briefly scanned the area hoping a crowd had not been drawn, luckily only a few heads were turned and they quickly snapped back upon her looking in their direction. Why she hadn't a clue she wasn't intimidating from what she was told.

She turned back around and was disappointed that the man had fled; she hadn't a chance to apologize for Temari's actions from before. But then again Temari was well-known for her temper and the man seemed to know her so it must have been a sour note in the past.

Hinata quickly ran to catch up with the others stumbling only a few times as she made her way, when she did make it to them they were all grins as if Temari hadn't just tried to throttle someone.

"Hey Hinata-Chan!" A well muscled arm wound around her shoulders and she was pulled against a man she at first didn't recognize.

It was kiba. He was dressed out in a black leather jacket and some old jeans his red triangular tattoos famous among the Inuzuka clearly visible, his eyes still slit like a canines. He grinned revealed sharp fangs another asset of the Inuzuka.

"H-hello Kiba-kun." Hinata greeted him in return a small hug on her part, Kiba, Shino, and Neji were the only males she could hug without fainting. But that was mainly because they were all very brotherly.

"You still stutter? How cute!" he teased removing his arm from around her shoulders. Hinata blushed once more and Kiba gave his barking laughter, before he turned serious.

"So you married yet? Dating anyone? I need to meet the guy first!" he exclaimed loudly, Hinata turned an even darker shade of red.

"K-Kiba! N-no! I've b-been to b-busy with w-work to go out!" She shouted, at least to her anyway. An ohhh expression came over his face before he grinned wildly, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Sorry about that Hina-Chan its just I don't want to see you with some old shit-head like your fathers trying to marry you off to. Speaking of which has he done any thing like that lately?" Hinata blinked slowly.

"A-ah N-no I've been working s-so h-he has g-given up on a-arranged m-marriages for the t-time being." Which is certainly a relief having to act like an entirely different person for someone who MIGHT be her future husband was quite annoying. It was deceptive and Hinata hated deceptions of a person's character.

"Well that's good; your father never was the patient man." Hinata turned around a smile on her face.

"S-shino!" Shino stepped forward towards the group he wore a long sleeved jacket and regular jeans a dark pair of shades covering his eyes as per usual.

"Hello Hinata." He greeted with his own one armed hug, Shino was just as socially awkward as she was. But he was a very good friend as well, no one could deny that.

"I see Kiba still hasn't met the requirements of finding a brain." Shino said softly, Kiba face faulted before glaring at the bug scientist.

"Why you!" Hinata couldn't help but laugh, it was just like before nothing had changed between them. She was glad; Kiba and Shino were her best friends all the way back since who knows when.

"Its refreshing to see nothings changed." Shino said voicing her thoughts; Kiba gave a grin and nodded.

"Well some things have changed Little Hina-Chans all grown up, now we have more men to chase off!" he joked; Hinata felt her face grow warm.

"A-ah Kiba! Y-you shouldn't s-say such things!" He really shouldn't she never was pretty to begin with. Kiba just shook his head in amusement as the group sat at the stools in the bar.

"Yo! Waiter! I'll have two beers and a red wine!" Kiba shouted the waiter shot a glare towards him but slid him the drinks, which kiba gave the wine to Hinata and the other beer to shino.

"Kiba ano I-I don't d-drink." Hinata said ducking her head down a bit, Kiba just clapped her on the back.

"Sorry bout that Hina-Chan must have forgotten. Hey maybe we can find Kurenai-Sensei in this mess!" Hinata looked up and Kiba took her arm and began dragging her around. Luckily he stopped near the walls Hinata breathed a sigh of relief before Kiba shouted.

"Oi! Look it's the old Lucky number Seven!" Shino sighed beside her and muttered something along the lines of.

"Dogs must be over running his sanity…"

Indeed it was the old team seven, each group of friends were assigned a number team seven happened to consist of Naruto Namikaze-Uzumaki Each of which clans were famous for multiple things. Such as food trading ports, fighting and sporting goods.

The only female in Team seven was Sakura Haruno a pinkette whose family was known for its make up and beauty supplies. They were very good but sadly under Sakura's influence of her parents had been adding far too much pink into the selections.

The last member of the team was Sasuke Uchiha there wasn't one person who hadn't heard of the Uchihas as they were famous among fighting and their chains of Restaurants. Sasuke had no interest in running the company but fortunately for him his older brother (which she had only briefly seen once at a Hyuuga-Uchiha meeting) had taken that position.

"Hey its dog-breath!" Naruto shouted waving them over, Hinata felt her face heat up out of habit but she managed to force down her blush, after much concentration of course.

"So eh…who is he?" Naruto pointed to Shino and Hinata felt Shino's disappointment at being so easily being forgotten.

"A-ano N-naruto I-its S-Shino." Naruto's blue eyes lit up in recognition before a doom cloud settled over his head.

"Aww man I'm sorry Shino! I swear I didn't mean to forget you!" he tried to make amends but as silent as Shino was he also was easily offended. Hinata felt eyes on her and she turned around only to see no one was there, she blinked in confusion surely someone was just there right?

"Oi Hinata-Chan!" Naruto suddenly glomped her, her face turned twenty shades of red. Don't Faint Hinata, Don't Faint! She chanted as she quickly pulled her composure up once again.

"H-Hi N-Naruto-Kun." She said quietly as he released her, Naruto grinned his ocean blue eyes sparkling.

"Hinata-Chan Guess what?" Hinata was about to ask but Naruto being Naruto continued on without a thought.

"Me and Sakura-Chan are getting married! Isn't that great!" Hinata felt something inside her sink but she nodded and smiled all the same. After all she didn't like him any more right? Right.

"T-That's g-great Naruto-kun." Kiba suddenly grabbed her arm and turned towards Sasuke with a glint in his feral eyes.

"Oi Uchiha!" Sasuke looked up with a bored expression in his eyes; Hinata certainly didn't want to be drug into whatever Kiba was plotting.

"I want you me and Hinata to Play pool!" P-pool? Against Sasuke? Hinata was sure someone was laughing at her from in the sky.


	6. Revelations Among other things

Disclaimer: Don't own

Chapter Six

Revelations Among Other Things

Sasuke was amused to say the least; the Inuzuka was challenging him to a game of pool. An Uchiha. Against a Hyuuga as well, which when he won would add another score for the Uchiha against the Hyuuga.

Hyuuga and Uchiha were long-time rivals in their companies, it didn't take a genius (though he was one) to figure that out. Hinata didn't even look as if she wanted to play pool with him that was until Kiba spoke to her in a whisper.

He didn't know what had been said but the Hyuuga had looked at the pool tables with a new determination he hadn't thought her capable of, it was interesting that much he knew.

He accepted the 'challenge' sure that he would win, except he had one condition.

"I only want to play the Hyuuga." He said in a drawl as he made his way over to the tables, he was actually distantly aware of his brother watching his every movement. Probably making sure he didn't offend anyone seeing as he was speaking with no one.

"Why you! Not good enough to play against huh!" Kiba growled out, Hinata turned with a gentle expression on her face whispering something too low for even he to catch.

The Inuzuka huffed but nodded muttering under his breath.

Watching from a short distance Itachi shook his head; his brother was charging head first into yet another situation that called for careful calculation.

Unfortunately that was exactly what Sasuke didn't do; he just picked up the pool stick and began to play thinking that everything would fall into place. That was exactly the opposite of what did occur.

The Hyuuga took complete control of the game in a matter of two strikes, two. If anything Itachi would have to challenge her so as to preserve the Uchiha name lest he wish for his Father to berate him on ignoring a loss. Even if it was a small one.

The game ended in under five minutes, five. Itachi never knew that a girl erm… woman could take someone down in that matter of time in a game of pool. Let alone his younger brother no matter how reckless he had been.

The Inuzuka was clapping the Hyuuga on the back and the Aburame merely gave a nod and from what he knew of Aburames a few words of congrats.

He walked over to the group with a strong posture to show he was not to be ignored, as he wasn't one to ignore in the first place. When he did arrive he recognized the girl as the very same one that stopped Temari from throttling him, nice Sasuke.

Now he had to beat the girl that saved him, whatever god there was, was surely mocking him. He was sure he saw the fan mistress glaring at him to, this was certainly not his day.

He blinked realizing that she was looking up at him from just in front of him.

He felt his breath catch as he looked over her features. Her eyes were snowy white and doe-like. Very expressive. Unlike the Hyuuga's he knew. Her skin was pale almost more so then his brother's and her face was heart framed, dark indigo hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall.

A black waterfall. The dark sapphire dress certainly didn't help him in trying to look away, seeing as how well it clung to her form.

"I-I'm sorry a-about Temari-Chan's a-actions earlier." She spoke softly and without missing a beat he nodded as he hadn't lost his composure no matter what was expressed in his thoughts.

Nothing could give away what he was thinking as no ripples were shown across the surface, but he had to play pool because of his

Younger brother shouldn't he?

"Would you care to play a round?" courteous as always his mother had told him, no matter the reason always be respectful to a woman.

Her thin eyebrows furrowed together.

"I-I would b-but I d-don't know y-your n-name." Did she always stutter?

"Itachi Uchiha. You are…?" he waited for the young Hyuuga's name to be spoken.

"Oh! R-right My Name I-is Hinata Hyuuga." Had he been drinking anything he would have most certainly, nearly choked. This was the Heiress!

"Indeed." He replied as she set up the pool table. He was aware of his little brother watching him, it did not matter he had to clean up his 'mess' anyway so there was no reason to be suspicious.

Of course that did nothing for the fact when she began to break the balls, she had leaned over just enough so as anyone could just look down her dress, He was suddenly very aware of the others around them, not in the good way either. More of a possessive one.

"Uchiha-san I-its y-your t-turn n-now." He nodded and made his shot multiple balls being shot into multiple holes. She glanced at the white ball and walked over to it before angling herself align with it twisting the pool stick in many formations some he only saw with professional pool players.

How often did she play? Surely not too often as she looked very unsure of herself in a place such as this seeing as how she had not touched a single drink.

Her small groups of friends from before were also watching some smirking, some grinning and some merely waiting to see the outcome that they seemed to be so sure of. Surely they didn't expect him to lose? Then again, he glanced at the clock at the wall; a good thirty minutes had passed already since the game started.

She never spoke during the game either he noted, too focused on how things were going about. So she didn't multi-task? That was different, certainly so as most of the girls here would go on and on during a game such as this.

He certainly didn't expect what happened next, she merely leaned over the table her pool stick barely a centimeter away from striking before she quickly jabbed the white ball. It spun into the walls at rapid speeds and hit almost all of them in, before slowly tapping the black eight ball into the last hole.

Itachi had lost.

"T-that w-was a good g-game Uchiha-san. I h-hope we c-can play a-again sometime s-soon." She said walking over to him shaking his hand in a manner of good sportsmanship. He responded in a similer manner, her hand was soft and he found some trouble in pulling away.

"Indeed. Perhaps another time." The only question left for Itachi in this manner was how he had never seen this woman before, seeing as how she was the Hyuuga heiress she certainly had attended the Uchiha-Hyuuga meetings correct?

The other matter. Why had he reacted in the way he had? Surely he must have taken one drink to many would be his first thought, had he only drank one beer. So that was out of the question.

Perhaps he should simply take on her offer of playing again, maybe along the week? Yes that should give him enough time to figure out what he had felt, after all he wasn't a prodigy for nothing.


	7. Sakura's Jelousy

Disclaimer: Don't Own

Chapter Seven

Sakura's Jealousy

Pink eyebrows furrowed together as Sakura watched the others, everyone was either talking or laughing, or the very rare few hugging or being intimate in the way couples should.

Yet here she was stuck with Naruto, she had only accepted his proposal for a small handful of reasons. One fact being his family was quite the luxurious one, yet they didn't even acknowledge the fact!

No Naruto's parents often got together and played games of poker and games on the Wii. Really two fully grown adults. So Sakura took it upon herself to change that. By far she had gotten little success.

The second reason was that Naruto had obviously grown out; he had really found himself in his parents' tutelage. Even though he still acted like the idiot he wasn't.

The third was just a small fantasy that she KNEW would happen, after all she was beautiful and all that was needed was a small push. Yes she was hoping one of the famed Uchiha brothers would become jealous of Naruto, and try to take her away.

Which she would let happen in a heart beat, after all Uchihas were naturally beautiful people. it was just that Sasuke and his brother Itachi were far more eye catching then most.

Very much so.

Needless to say Sakura was not happy when both Sasuke AND Itachi went to play pool against Hinata. It just wasn't fair Sakura could always cut off whatever she was doing to go on a date, the Hyuuga Heiress would always be far to busy to just stop her work.

After all the Hyuugas always rivaled the Uchihas, ALWAYS. So why her? Why Hinata? It wouldn't work out and she wasn't as pretty as her. No if anything she only grew her hair out and it was indigo colored as well! That was just far to strange, if you were going to have a strange color make it pink.

That shows at least your feminine with your looks, it just didn't make sense. Sakura was wearing a blood red dress and her hair now reached her mid-back just like before, surely you couldn't go wrong there after all red was a very lavishly wealthy color in the higher ups.

She even had applied light blush and a thin red over her lips, which was just beautiful after all her family's make up was the best. No one else could compare.

Certainly not the Hyuuga girl who always stuttered and tripped over her own words. Really she was such a sickly pale and her eyes were stark white there was no color there whats so ever! That blue black eye shadow only made her pale eyes jump out even more, it was horrid.

It really was.

Yet She managed to catch both Sasuke and Itachi's attention in one fell swoop. It just wasn't fair. But she smiled and nodded all the same as everyone talked and laughed, she just had to approach the Uchiha brothers then all would be right.

After all no one could out match Sakura Haruno, especially in beauty. That was HER territory, and no one was going to take it from her.

"Sakura-Chan if you want you can go and talk with everyone I've kind been holding you back. Sorry about that I swear!" Naruto said sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.

"Its okay Naruto-kun I'll just go now." Sakura concluded before making her way over to the nearest Uchiha, Itachi.

After all Sasuke hated to lose to his brother from what she remembered.

She blinked slowly as she approached him, he certainly was beautiful! From so close too! She resisted the urge to squeal and smiled at him with a flirty bat of her mascaraed eye lashes.

He didn't bat an eye at her, and she inwardly swooned. Sasuke surely didn't compare to his brother but she would be very happy with either of the two. She silently admired his looks.

A sharply cut jaw and thick eyelashes that curled upon his high cheek bones, his face was flawless and his form was lithe and lean. Sakura very much liked what she saw and just as she opened her mouth to speak.

"Haruno-san please leave. I enjoy silence and would prefer not to be gawked at for the remainder of my time here." Even his voice was perfect she thought before she registered his words. Something cracked a little inside her; surely a perfect man such as himself would want to be with a perfect woman like her?

"Itachi-kun I just wanted to know if you wanted a drink, you looked a little lonely is all." She said slowly making her way besides him, he casually moved away.

"I didn't realize you were hard of hearing. Leave." He repeated a ting of annoyance entering his tone, Sakura mentally face faulted before trying once more if this failed she would just move on.

"I'm sorry but I just couldn't discern-" she was interrupted before she had a chance to finish.

"U-Uchiha-san I b-brought you the d-drink like y-you asked f-for." It was the Hyuuga, she hissed mentally and began to leave as she saw Itachi take the drink. What was so special about the Hyuuga anyway?


	8. Gaara Of The Sand

Disclaimer: Don't own

Chapter Eight

Gaara Of The Sand

Itachi swore he felt another vein twitch, the pinkette just couldn't take a hint. He was trying to be polite he really was, but honestly could you stand to be stared at for a full five minutes with out blinking?

He didn't think so.

More over she reminded him of Karin, especially with the red. It wouldn't be an understatement so to speak to say that he loathed the color by now.

"U-Uchiha-san I b-brought you the d-drink like y-you asked f-for." Drink? He hadn't asked for one. But he took the offered glass anyway seeing as how the pinkette was leaving with the appearance of Hinata.

He nodded his thanks which she smiled at.

"Y-your w-welcome. I-I've seen S-sasuke-san in the same predicament b-before. Sakura-san I-isn't too f-fond of m-me for s-some reason." He could easily guess as to why.

"Isn't she engaged?" he allowed himself to talk with her, after all she hasn't given him reason not too.

"I t-thought s-so but she d-doesn't seem to acknowledge that fact herself." Her eyebrows knit together over her eyes, he was a bit prideful seeing as how she lost her stutter in the end of the sentence.

"I've seen her type before." He commented dryly the rim of the cup pressed to his lips.

"O-oh?" she waited for him to continue.

"She seems to be the kind of woman who believes everything to be in her grasp, not one to be friends with. Who is she engaged too?" He hadn't spoken so often before in another person's presence, since shisui's death.

The aura around him darkened considerably.

"She's e-engaged to N-Naruto-Kun." A small blush spread over her features but she forced it down, was he a former crush?

"U-Uchiha-San I-"

"Itachi."

"P-pardon?"

"Just Itachi, I would like to say that you have become an acquaintance." He threw his gaze to the floor. Why was it so flippin hard to make a small acquaintance?

"O-okay Itachi-San, b-but I-if that's t-the c-case y-you should c-call m-me H-Hinata." She awkwardly stumbled over her words and he bit back a smile as her shyness.

Would it be an understatement to say she was just as socially awkward as he? He doubted that at seeing her crimson face.

A pale hand was placed on her shoulder and Hinata turned around quickly the Sapphire dress rippling like waves of water.

"Hinata its good to see you." A man around her age said. Black insomnia markings covered the entire eyelids of his sea-foam green eyes, which was a special contrast with the shaggy blood-red hair that hung loosely over the kanji for love that was tattooed into his forehead.

"G-Gaara-Kun I-its nice t-to s-see you t-too!" She gave a full blown smile hugging the Subaku whom he remembered to be a tad spacious.

"I told you to drop the suffix it is unnecessary." Gaara said before telling her to go and see if there was a beer for him. Itachi felt that a rather unpleasant conversation was about to be encroached.

"Uchiha-San. What a surprise, I didn't think you were one for social gatherings." The red head began softly his baritone of a voice easily caught by Itachi.

"Nor did I expect to see you, Subaku-San." He could easily take what was thrown as he had easily torn down Orochimaru's business for assault on his younger brother.

"Would you care to explain why you were talking with Hinata?" Itachi felt a vein twitch he was certainly going to need an aspirin later on.

"Merely making small talk, as it is a reunion."

"You knew her before then?"

"No but isn't a reunion where you meet new and old friends alike?" Gaara nodded.

"Yes but it is no small matter that you refused to speak with anyone but your brother for the past few months, then suddenly start to speak with a good friend of mine." The Subaku had a point. Why WAS he talking with her?

More over what right did he have in implying at Shisui's death? His knuckles were stark white but this was easily hidden in his jean pockets, no other indication of his anger was shown.

"Hn."

"Interesting, well Uchiha-San it would do you good to know that her father has tried multiple times to marry her off." Is that so?

"This should intrigue me in a matter, why would you think so?" The Subaku gave a small but clearly amused smirk.

"When you were dating my sister I easily picked up on your emotions Uchiha-San. I find it interesting that you yourself haven't figured out your attraction to Hinata." Attraction?

"That is merely you fantasizing for your friend. One can not have a term of affection after meeting one for the first time." The red head held a knowing smirk.

"I never said anything about affection Uchiha-San. Merely that you held a small attraction. A liking of her presence." Itachi froze this man was starting to become irate, affection and attraction are the same.

"Attraction and affection are the same Subaku-San it would do you good to know this, lest you fall into a manner of confusing the two with your friends."

Gaara's eyes narrowed slightly.

"I was merely stating facts Uchiha-San, if you wish to tell the difference between the pull of attraction and affection look to who she speaks with now. Maybe then you will find your answer you are so ignorant to ignore."

Before he could stop himself he found his dark eyes following the Subaku's gesture.

He was quite annoyed.

Perhaps he did have a glass too many, either that or his brother did. A fact that he was very aware of was the burning white flare of rage sparking in his chest. Surely he was not jealous?


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Don't Own

Chapter Nine

Hung Over

Hanabi sat up a scowl plastered across her face as she accepted the aspirin from Hinata. She really shouldn't have had those cocktails, they were coming back to haunt her in the most brutal of ways.

"Thanks" she muttered before passing out on the sofa, completely aware of the wet rag being dabbed onto her forehead. When she came too she briefly recalled the events of last night in a foggy haze.

"Lucky Hina-Chan didn't drink anything…" father would never let her hear the end of it that she was sure of. After all a heiress wasn't supposed to drink until her marriage.

But then again… father was trying to demote Hinata. She wasn't aware because he was trying to make it last minute. Unfortunately for him Hinata has been keeping up with all that's been thrown her way.

Hanabi grinned wincing slightly, her sister was a great heiress. Father was just too blind to see it. Hanabi didn't even want the position, she was perfectly content with her work as of now, and she could never handle all the paperwork she's seen on Hinata's study desk.

The only leverage father had been that Hinata wasn't in any relationship, at least not yet. He was angry simply because she could easily date Gaara of the sand.

But Hinata couldn't date Gaara the same way Gaara couldn't date Hinata, they were simply too close. Anything more would be like mixing oil and water. It just wouldn't work.

Hanabi's eyebrows furrowed together in frustration, Hinata couldn't see anyone because of her job. But father kept adding more work, so she simply couldn't go out. In fact she was only free on week ends and Thursdays.

Honestly who would date someone who was constantly working, it had its bonuses for sure but it also had many more drawbacks. The cons simply outweighed the pros.

But what about that man she had played pool with? The one after Sasuke that Temari had nearly strangled? A grin nearly cracked her face in half as she picked up the phone. It was time for her and the others to make a comeback in the most unlikely of ways.

"Hello Ten-Ten? Yes I need you and Temari over here at soon as possible."

It was approximately thirty minutes before they showed up, Ino appearing at just the right time.

"So Hanabi what'd you call for? I'm still recovering from last night's trauma of Sakura in that dress. It'll give you nightmares for ages I swear." Ino commented shaking her head.

"Oh it'll be worth it. You see father's trying to kick out Hina-Chan." Hanabi waited for the inevitable.

One.

Two.

Three.

F-

"WHAT!" ah there it is.

"Father found a way to get id of Hina-Chan from her spot as Heiress."

"Old basterd I out to go and strangle him!" Ten-Ten snarled while Temari casually picked up a knife.

"Mari-Chan put it down. I have a way to keep her in position, which is if you all are willing to listen and help out." Hanabi said plopping into one of her bean bags in the basement as the others followed her lead.

"What is his idea anyway?" Ino asked her eyes blinking slowly.

"Simple, it's because Hinata hasn't been in any monogamous relationship for the past few years." Silence.

"I can recall that factor of being an older sibling as an heir or heiress." Temari said lightly.

"Yep. This is why I've called you all here today, last night I saw Hina-Chan getting along very well with someone. VERY well, though we're all sure she'd deny it, or just was to naïve to notice." There were acute nods from all the females in the room.

"Well who was it anyway? Since we're now sure you're just playing a little game of matchmaker." Ino said excitedly clapping her hands together. She loved gossip of any kind, putting to people together was child's play to her. Another good attribute that would be needed and desired later on in this little game.

"Oh its not just a couple play date you four." Hanabi slammed her hands down on the pool table her hair falling in her face like a curtain.

"I'm setting her up for a good while with the man I've got in mind. Certainly so as he seems to have his eye on her. Weather he knows it or not. As they are both very socially awkward people." This received many raised eyebrows and a few gleeful faces.

"You mean we're dealing with two naïve or unaware people, which we're trying to hook up for a good majority of time?" Temari said silently.

"Well as difficult as this sou-" Hanabi was interrupted by Ino instantly. Her eyes leaping like blue green flames.

"Difficult? Pish-Posh Hanabi! I've had far worse to deal with! Tell us who it is already!" Ten-Ten's eyes widened comically.

"Its not Sasuke or Gaara is it? Certainly not Kiba or Shino?" Hanabi didn't bother hiding her grin this time.

"Please. We will need Sasuke's help though." Everyone was now weather they knew it or not leaning forward with anticipation.

"Why is that?" Temari asked slowly.

"Your not talking about Naruto are you!" Ten-Ten shouted luckily the door was shut.

"Oh no. I wouldn't have Hina-Chan go after Naruto he lost his chance." Temari finally lost her patience.

"Spit it out all ready!" Hanabi smirked.

"We are going to do what has said to be impossible. We are….going to have Itachi Uchiha woo my sister." The silence was echoingly familiar to Hanabi as was the yelling that followed shortly after.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Don't Own

Chapter Ten

Sasuke The Matchmaker?

It was sometime at seven in the afternoon when Sasuke received a phone call, from the Hyuuga residence.

He didn't think much of it just another business meeting, what he did NOT expect was for the younger sister of the Heiress to ask him something as soon as he answered.

"This is Sasuke Uchiha correct?" she sounded a tad thrilled but for some reason he doubted it was because he was the one to answer the phone.

"We require your presence here immediately, no questions asked until your arrival." He toyed with the idea of hanging up but the thought was shot down instantly.

"We need your help; it involves you and your brother. Only you are to show up." He clenched his jaw tightly.

"I'll be there." Then he hung up. He didn't like the idea of going to the Hyuugas of all clans. But he had respect and pride. He stuck to his word, even if it got him into some tight spots, which his brother often had to drag him out of.

He quickly left the Uchiha Compound and got into his car, the drive didn't tale nearly as long as it should have, but then again they mentioned his brother so maybe it was just him.

Before he could even raise his fist to beat against the wooden door it opened, Ten-Ten a weapons mistress he was sure he had seen before was standing there with a gleam in her eyes he was sure to see more often of later. Not that he knew that of course.

"Well?" She gestured for him to follow and he did just that with a powerful stride, he was not to falter in a rival clan house. That had been drilled into his very bones at the tender age of five. It never left him, not that he wanted it too it had certainly gotten him through many situations.

He was lead downstairs and into a basement, where he was sure he heard a faint scream. A thin sheet of sweat broke out over his skin. What if they were going to kill him? He frowned and instantly squashed such a ridiculous thought, this was the Hyuuga's they were the last clan he should suspect of murder. He thought with a grimace.

When the door open Hanabi the younger Heiress he knew threw him into a… Bean bag? What the hell?

"Yes a bean bag get over yourself Uchiha." He did not just say that aloud.

"I'm pretty sure you did." Hanabi told him with a smug grin as she sat opposite of himself.

"What do you want from me?"

"Are you sure he can help us? He doesn't seem to give a rat's ass." Temari said loudly, he narrowed his eyes.

"It depends on what you require." He told her his onyx eyes burning a hold into the ground.

"Oi don't glare at the ground! It didn't do anything to you!" Ten-Ten said shoving his bean bag. He nearly lost his balance but quickly regained it.

"I'd like to know why I'm here." He said with a roll of his eyes. Hanabi quickly became serious.

"Its rumored in the higher ups that Your secretly taking Itachi's place in the Uchiha company. That Itachi himself is starting his own company from scratch, true?" he froze slightly how the hell did she find out? That was top secret!

"Then its true." Temari said with a nod of her head.

"Whats true or not concerns you not." He replied pulling the famous Uchiha façade up.

"Easy we aren't going to leak any information. Another rumor, Itachi needs a foot hold but hasn't been able to gain one even though this is his hometown. Correct?" he didn't bother to stop his nod.

They already knew a huge chunk of his brother's plans, lying would do nothing here but start a feud.

"We can provide you with such a foothold. In order to do so we need YOUR help."

"My help? Why not just get Itachi himself?" Hanabi grinned cheekily.

"Because we know you want to help your brother. We know you want his position but you don't want to remove him with out his own consort. If you do this you'll have fifty percent of the credit. We can easily do this without your help Sasuke-san but it would add far too many unneeded necessities." Sasuke blinked slowly.

Fifty percent of what exactly? He narrowed his eyes.

"What exactly is your plan any way?"

"We need your help to have your brother…woo Hinata Hyuuga." He stopped all movement.

And he scowled.

"So your just trying to help your sister, should've known. I'm not selling my brother off to some whore." Before he could get another word out he bit his tongue at the MANY pissed off faces in the room.

"Your wrong Uchiha-San. Hina-Chan is no whore. In fact it's the very same girl your brother was about to clock your jaw over." His eyes widened at the memory.

"He was drunk." He protested.

"Course he was." Not. He sighed that memory wasn't leaving him anytime soon. His brother had requested his presence while he was merely telling the Hyuuga not to try anything funny with his brother.

But before he could even hint at that his brother had taken them both home. It didn't show but something was clearly wrong with his brother. If it WAS that girl then that would explain a hell of a lot.

Anything else he had tried to come up with was a clearly drawn blank; he looked up at them and stood up.

They mimicked his actions and he knew without a doubt that they were going to try no matter his answer. Sasuke Uchiha did not give up, but he knew when he was beat.

Especially if it could help things out in the Uchiha. He held out his hand in a gesture of shaking hands. The young heiress quickly accepted a grin on her face.

"You have to help us set up their next meeting."

"A date already?"

"Nope. That would be too convenient, far to normal. It needs to be subtle. Something outlandish for those two." Sasuke pulled his hand back with a frown.

"I don't know a walk?" The women instantly brightened up in the basement, and Sasuke wondered briefly if he had done the right thing.

These women were painfully psychotic.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Walk? Maybe Not

Hinata's dark eyebrows drew together in frustration; she had just finished one stack of paperwork only for a maid to bring in two more stacks.

Hinata swore that it was tripling, maybe even quadrupling. She was certainly glad she took that chance of going out last night seeing as how at this rate she wouldn't be getting out anytime soon.

A knock was placed against her door, she replied with a soft

"Come in." she didn't look up seeing as how she shouldn't look away lest she lose her concentration.

"Hina-Chan do you think you could spare a few minutes?" Hinata blinked rubbing her eyes.

"I'm sorry Hanabi-Chan but I'm afraid this is one of those days… Maybe another time though I promise." Hanabi looked startled upon her lack of stutter.

"You didn't stutter!" she said indignantly.

"I-I'm sorry Hanabi-Chan but I have w-work I n-need to finish." She had almost slipped into the Hyuuga demeanor once again; she was frequently doing so in her studies. She didn't wish to but it was unavoidable at some points.

"But Hina-Chan…Temari and Ten-Ten are here! So's Ino!" Hinata looked up.

"I g-guess I-I could s-spare a f-few moments. B-but please n-not too l-long I h-have to f-finish." Hinata gave in; surely if those three were here then they along with Hanabi would drag her out of the room themselves.

They've done so before.

Hinata placed a marker over the papers and made a mental note to change pens and pencils before she returned to work. She was running out of pencil and ink.

"Hina-Chan!" Ino glomped her side and rubbed her (thankfully un-make-up adorned) cheek against hers. Hinata Blushed under the sudden lost of space but hugged back slightly with her one arm.

"Poor Hina-Chan! Your getting bags under your eyes! And your only twenty! That's not good!" Ino cried dramatically, Hinata blushed in embarrassment. Of course she was getting some bags under her eyes…

"Ino please get off of Hina-Chan! Your making her pass out!" Ten-Ten said dragging Ino off of her. Hinata gratefully took in some much needed air; Ino was sometimes a little clingy…

"I know just the thing! We should head out to the park!" Ino shouted holding her fist a manner similer to a super-hero's. Hinata bit her lip at the ridiculous thought that invaded her mind.

It was almost too easy to see Ino adorned in a cape and a wonder woman outfit.

"I-I'm so s-sorry Ino-Chan b-but I h-have to finish work." Hinata bowed her head shyly her bangs covering her eyes from view.

"Nonsense! Hina-Chan! Neji will just take your spot for now! Your going on a walk with us to the park NOW!" Ino cried a bit dragging her out of the house.

"B-B-B-B-But the papers r-require m-m-my signature!" Hinata stuttered terribly in her protesting, causing the small group to just spur onward out of the house.

"I'm sure Neji won't mind! I've got an approval from him as well!" A silver phone was shown to her with a text clearly displayed across the screen.

"The paperwork will be sorted as promised." It signed as Neji and Hinata although relieved from being released from her paperwork was sad for placing her cousin in her place.

"A-are you s-sure he'll b-be alright doing all of t-that?" She asked as they lead her down the sidewalk.

"I'm sure Girly-boy will be alright, after all he's so strict and uptight I'm sure that'll feel like home to him." Temari said with a glint in her deep teal eyes.

"Temari's right! Besides they've added a new archery area in the park I've been dieing to try out!" Ten-Ten said with a gleam in her eyes that Hinata could akin to a delighted child.

Hanabi gave the weapons mistress a light punch in the arm snapping her out of her fantasy of weaponry, Hinata gave a chiding look to which Hanabi stuck her tongue out at.

"I think it would be nice to check out though, just to see how they've set it up I mean." Ino said the others nodding as if debating on something other then archery.

"A-Ano I don't k-know how to u-use a b-bow a-all that w-well…" Hinata meekly whispered. Ten-Ten's eyes widened in an almost comical way.

"Well then we have to hurry!" She grabbed her arm and started to run down the sidewalk through the trees of the park, it wasn't too long before they had reached the new archery area that seemingly to Hinata had sprung up over night.

"Okay I'll go get the arrows!" Ten-Ten said with a wave of arm as she ran off to the booths that were a good thirty yards from the area, Hinata's eyebrows furrowed together.

Ino's going to have a fit when she sees the walking distance, but then again…Hinata looked back at the padding to mark your distance at the bow and arrows.

"T-theres already a-arrows…" Hinata gingerly picked up a near-by bow.

"Hello my name is Sai." Hinata jumped up the bow nearly falling out of her arms. It fell to the ground with a soft thud; Hinata winced before turning to Sai.

"I-I'm s-so s-s-sorry!" She rushed out.

"It fine. How long will you and." He paused and looked at a small card in his hand.

"Ten-Ten be playing?" Hinata furrowed her eye brows together how long would Ten-Ten want to play?

"I t-think a-an h-hour." Sai nodded before handing her a quiver and picking up the bow she previously held before.

"Just ring this bell if you have any questions." He said before running back to the booth.

"I s-swear I-I've heard h-his name b-before…" Hinata said thoughtfully as Ten-Ten ran back over before gasping and holding her knees.

"I came over to tell you I needed to stop by the restrooms and find the others. Will you be fine here on your own?" Hinata nodded as she had been here many times before, of course she briefly wondered as she saw her friend run off if she could take a brief walk to the Tomoyo trees.

She always did love plum blossoms.

She smiled briefly as said blossom petals blew across the field, maybe she could save their spots? She tapped the bell and the same man from before walked over, a smile painted across his paper-like skin.

"M-May I s-save this s-spot for l-later?" she Hinata asked politely, Sai nodded cheerfully and placed a sort of marking over the bell.

"This has a time limit of an hour, please do return before then." Hinata nodded and began to walk up the paths to the Tomoyo trees, hoping the blossoms were blooming.

A soft smile became apparent on her face as she watched the others around her enjoying the park; children were laughing and shrieking as she walked by the playground.

The noise easily melted away as she continued on the marine blue sky seemingly sparkling as she continued on, dark green leaves and Tomoyo blossom petals were easily caught into the gentle wind.

The stones jilted out of place made her feel more at ease then she had in a long time, admittedly so she almost wished she could skip the next few days and walk out here.

Of course that wasn't an option was it? She thought dejectedly as she continued walking up the stone laden paths. Wings brushing against branches caught her attention and she turned just in time to see a snow white dove, tings of teal in its feathers.

A soft coo was heard from said bird and Hinata smiled, it reminded her of her mother's fan.

When she finally reached the top of the hill she was greeted with a serene sight that felt almost, almost out of place here. Since the park was a place for children or young couples, she was neither of the two.

A stone koi pond was in the center a small waterfall causing ripples to cross across the silvery water. A few cherry blossom trees had been added she noted but they were easily swallowed up by the Tomoyo trees, which were indeed in season.

But what had enraptured her attention since she was a child was still there, sitting amongst the Tomoyo trees with a silent grace. One that was easily overlooked if you never truly saw.

She walked off the path with silent footfalls against the lush grass that sprung up in bunches, filling the air with a minted scent that could never be achieved through artificial growth.

There placed in the center by her very mother, was a tall and proud Tomoyo tree, the difference was so outlandish Hinata found it hard to believe it was really there.

Regular Tomoyo trees were vivid shades of violet hues. Dark purple and blueberry blue mixing together, those were the true colors of the Tomoyo blossoms. But there was something about her mother's Tomoyo tree that was special; she planted it long ago when she was only six. But there was something, Hinata wasn't sure what though that caused all of her mother's best occurrences to happen. Right under that tree.

It was as tall as any other Tomoyo tree, maybe a few inches shorter, she never did find the time to check nor any reason too. Its wood was dark and stood out amongst the regular toned barks of the other trees surrounding it, branches twisted and gnarled in a way that seemed enchanting as its petals and blossoms whispered in the winds.

The difference between this one Tomoyo tree and its surrounding neighbors was that it had not the dark hues of violet and blueberry blue. Its hues were off, they were almost white, had you not looked you would not have seen the pale lavender stretching thinly across the petals.

Her mother once told her as a child that she was told that her Tomoyo tree would die that winter, as it was as good dead the way it was. Hinata's mother did not think so. She planted it right into the ground with its own tree likeness, and watched it grow from a foot to many more.

It was ironic so to speak, that her mother's last request as sickness had bedridden her. Was to see her beloved Tomoyo tree one last time, so it really shouldn't surprise anyone when Hinata's mother signed in her will that this very spot belonged to her.

It certainly surprised her father, he was not pleased but he had not a say in what had been written in solid blue ink. As it was this was Hinata's true sanctuary, so when she heard the soft footfalls she certainly had right to whirl around as she did just as the 'intruder' spoke.

A deep baritone voice akin to what Hinata would find like the night spoke softly yet it drew her in, like a moth to a flame.

"May I join you?" Warm onyx eyes met startled lilac white.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

Moonlight

He was amused when she whirled around, her lavender hoodie crinkling slightly. Her lilac eyes were wide as he spoke.

"May I join you?" Why did he say that? He thought with a mental frown, obviously he was intruding. A small stone polished to a faint glimmer he noted was absently jutting out of the ground.

He eyes seemed to know what he was looking at as she casually or so she thought, walked to block his view of the stone. He had something stirred and he knew it was important.

"I-I d-don't…mind." She seemed to pause a pretty blush dusting her porcelain like face. The thought left a rather strange turn of mental conversation.

After all isn't that what female Hyuuga were? Nothing but fragile, breakable dolls that were kept pretty. Never to be heard, only looked at and in a way. She was exactly like one of those dolls.

But porcelain dolls often had a rather harsh, cold beauty. His eyes narrowed just the slightest bit, his lips quirking into something akin to a smile.

If there was anything the young heiress was, harsh and cold were certainly not in that category. She leaned back into the base of the tree her chin placed atop her knees, no if anything…

She looked like she was lost, confused and hurt. Of course she never showed this internal war. But her eyes were far too expressive, which even with his background of reading people he still would have been able to figure that out.

Itachi blinked, why did he even care? She was Hyuuga and he Uchiha. They could never be even borderline acquaintances, let alone something even close to a friend.

He felt eyes on him and he looked up, Hinata opened her mouth as if to say something but it snapped shut and her eyebrows furrowed together, he wondered briefly what she was going to say but dismissed the notion of asking.

After all, she and he ran in the same circles. Whether they met at meetings or at simple dinner parties, extravagant engagement balls (to which irked him to no end) and even the occasional political argument between the two feuding families.

"Y-you c-can sit if y-you want." She said her face half hidden behind her arms resting languidly across her knees, which were still drawn to her chest. Itachi contemplated reasons for and against this action, but found himself sitting besides her the next instance later.

He propped his knee up and put his arm over it, staring at the sky. His dark eyes occasionally trailed over to the young heiress besides him and often found she was almost mist eyed. He frowned; he found that such forms of nature did not suit her.

Always was she staring at the stone, Itachi deduced it to be a grave stone. But if that were the case, why come here? Unless it couldn't be helped. He knew that feeling all to well, and also knew if he hadn't had sasuke he would have drawn inward even further.

He wasn't one for small talk, but he REALLY couldn't stand that expression. He could almost picture a small frown pulling her pale pink lips downward. No, she was no porcelain doll.

"You seem upset." Well that's a GREAT way to try and pick her up, way to go Itachi way to go. She looked up her head snapping in a twist, she (most likely unknowingly) bit her lip.

"I…I'm not." She was. No one could lie to him without him knowing, lastly her.

"Why are you lying to me Hinata? If it is out of my concern that it well enough, but I would prefer if you didn't lie to me." he really hoped she wouldn't there was already enough lies being spread easily enough. He would like to see such taint free of her white purity.

It was quiet and he slowly looked over, he almost ALMOST took a sharp breath. Shiny tears had slowly made twin streams down her face, but she was smiling.

"I prefer not to lie." She said her voice still clear like a bell, but it was soft. Like a dove.

He would have asked something else change the subject if he could, but she spoke again surprising him reminding him of something he couldn't quite remember or grasp.

"But it c-can't be helped. I d-don't want to burden others. So that's w-what I do, I'm always the H-Hyuuga heiress first and f-foremost. I d-don't mind. B-but…." She smiled again and he thought once only once.

But once was enough.

Once was enough for him to notice she was a truly beautiful person, whatever she suffered through…had only made her stronger. It was like she was no longer just pale with lilac colored eyes and dark indigo hair.

It was like the moon had given her its glow, her eyes twin pools of thawing frost, her hair still dark but as forbidding as night.

He felt a spark of anger, followed shortly by nausea as he realized she was waiting for him.

"But?" it was one word but it made her smile once more; he ignored the sudden waves as she spoke.

"This is my mother's grave site." Whatever he was expecting it hadn't been anything close to that. At all.

"She died when I w-was six." He looked over and found that she was facing him, the red hue ever permanently painted into her cheeks. He looked her intensely in the eyes.

"So you were raised by your father." He didn't ask, he knew. He knew the man first hand. He was almost vindictive, but very vain and prideful of his clan. Almost like his own father.

"Yes, b-but it wasn't so bad. Y-you k-know, my m-mother planted this t-tree." A wistful smile caught her features, he felt himself press into her side. But neither he nor she seemed to notice, or maybe like he she didn't care.

"She did? Its very special, very rare." It was true; Tomoyo trees of this color were very, very rare. His mother had wanted one very much. There was even a myth, that the generations following the one who plants its saplings were blessed.

He didn't believe in such foolishness, it was only a child's tale. A fairy tale to make them fall asleep for bed, not that he ever listened to such things. He preferred reality over fantasy as reality will leave you with the truth. Rather then dreams that will never be reached, just what they are dreams.

"My m-mother had m-many good things h-happen to her, h-here too. She l-left t-this place under m-my care." He hummed in agreement, after all this was the most tranquil area in the park. It really wouldn't surprise him that such a place would come from her own workings.

"S-she was t-told it w-was going to d-die, the t-tree I mean. Because o-of its coloring." He gave a bemused smirk.

"This also happens to be false; this is a very rare Tomoyo tree. Very beautiful. Only found once every four hundred years. This is one of my favorite places, to relax you know." He WAS relaxed, it was nice.

"I w-wouldn't think I-It would be so rare!" she said twisting her torso to gaze at her Tomoyo tree, a child-like hint of wonder in her features. Itachi however knew she was most definitely NOT a child.

"Yes, it is." Was she not aware of her surroundings? She was almost over his entire left shoulder; surely the young heiress was aware of such a thing?

"I a-always thought, t-that it was just….unique." her warm breath tickled his ear, she was so naïvely innocent.

"It is, but not everything is so special." He tried keeping his tone blunt, but she only turned to face him once more facing him head on.

"B-but…there are a lot of things…..y-you just n-need to k-know where t-to look." She then cocked her head in a birdlike way, it was amusing.

"U-Umm…T-this m-might s-sound strange Itachi-san….B-but...w-why did y-you grow y-your hair o-out so l-long?" he blinked slowly, did she just ask about his hair?

She turned tomato red and covered her face her eyes slowly peaking from behind slim fingers.

"I…I'm sorry!" he chuckled at this and did a small unnoticeable double-take. He had…laughed.

"There is no reason to be sorry, I really don't know myself. Its just…easier that way." He honestly didn't know why, but then again he couldn't imagine NOT having his hair as long as it was.

"H-how would it b-be easier?" she was from the looks of it honestly confused; he felt bemusement creep into his tone.

"It just is, and rather strangely it is nice. The feeling of brushing long hair, it is comforting." He just sounded, he thought to his distaste like a total gay.

"I w-would t-think so." He rose a single black brow.

"Do you no take small chances, of enjoyment Hinata?" he asked, she slowly shook her head.

He was aware of the distance that had closed in their small conversation, almost too much so. He was not aware of why he did such a bold thing, maybe his mother had finally (no matter how he detested the idea) gotten through to him.

"I-I don't r-really have t-time…" her voice was but a ghost of a whisper, he strained to hear her speak. They were so close…

Maybe he had finally fallen (even if it was small) to the sudden desire to touch her, hold her as she spoke. He didn't want this, but…he did.

It was like a balm to his still recovering wounds. Wounds from the past. Scars he didn't want or need, hauntings of old memories best left in the dark.

Then she kissed him.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Intelligence

Hinata wasn't aware of how she had almost lost her stutter during the conversation. She was aware of when the pull became more insistent, but she didn't know what it was to be sure.

What was such a thing that drew her close, to this almost-stranger? They had only met twice, but already she felt…as if they had known each other for much longer then that.

Of course she often saw him during anything business related, as he did her. But other then that she wasn't sure, she had even had the audacity to ask why he grew out his hair! Really what was wrong with her?

But he had laughed, not at her. But more amused by her reaction, or maybe even the simplicity of the question itself. He even knew more of her internal struggle then Neji, who always knew what, was wrong.

But whatever pull, whatever its goal was it annoyed her. She felt comfortable around him yes, but that may just be because she was Hinata. She was always far to trusting, like in high school when she had asked something simple of Karin.

Who never did do such a simple thing, it really made a small tick become apparent. All she had asked was for her to help her with some notes she missed, she had gotten sick.

So her own eyes widened several degrees when she found she had… kissed him.

What was wrong with her? She thought indignantly before slowly, as if he would strike moving away.

His own eyes were like live smoldering coals, they were burning with such intensity that she had to fight a wince. Then he narrowed his eyes, his black eyebrows furrowed in the slightest. Before he had returned her small gesture.

She felt the need to flee, passing out was out of the question she had long since grown pass that. But that irate pull, had held her in place.

It was a simple kiss really, but it felt like it held an importance. Hinata knew there was something else behind it, she just wasn't aware of what. Suddenly as if something had been revealed she was very, very aware of the intimate gesture.

Very aware of the feel of his lips against hers, so very aware that he had her first. So very, very aware that it was she who had given it to him.

But she was also, confused. Hinata was nothing special Itachi had his pick, they literally tried to stalk his house. She knew because Ino had gone on man-hunt for information and had only found the source through many fan girls whose dreams were shot as soon as he had opened the door the slightest of cracks.

She had realized as he did, that they were just staring at each other. Her own questioning look against his dark intelligent gaze that seemed to hold her answers. She felt insignificant and just like his fans who tried to take advantage of him, she wasn't even aware!

It was that darned pull!

As soon as she had finished that thought Itachi had stood, looking away from her. She felt something wither, but ignored it. It was just that ignorant pull that had broken whatever friendship they had, had.

She blinked realizing his hand was held out in front of her face.

"Would you prefer to sit on the ground for the remainder of the day?" he asked, something underlying in his tone she couldn't make out what it was though.

She hesitantly (she knew it, and had no doubts he knew as well.) took his hand, which nearly swallowed her own when he helped her up.

Hinata wanted to say something, anything. That she was sorry, that she hadn't meant for anything like that to happen. But seeing him look at her so suddenly, that dark intensity had stopped her.

"I will walk you back." He said quietly, Hinata felt the need to protest.

"Y-you d-don't have too! I-I'm f-fine walking b-by myself r-really!" Itachi had turned slightly one raven black eye brow raised as if to say 'Is that so?'

"I would rather see to it that you are properly escorted back, to the entrance of the park. Unless you have any specific reason that you wish to walk alone?" she really didn't have any reason, just that feeling that she had screwed up.

She really didn't like that feeling, it was just like that with her father. She just wanted to get away before Itachi looked at her that way as well, realizing she was just a nuisance.

"We should go." He said walking back to the path, Hinata saw the dove again. She wondered briefly, if her mother's tree still had its magic. But she shoved the thought out of head, and saw that Naruto had run over to them a bright smile stuck in its usual place.

"HEY! HINATA-CHAN!" He shouted waving his arm as he ran over, his ocean blue eyes glinting with some sort of mischief as he stopped in front of the two.

From habit a blush rose from her face, which didn't go unnoticed.

"H-hello N-Naruto-Kun." She said softly, Itachi had grown silent. Even more so then he usually was around others. Hinata gave a small look of concern, he simply returned his own look of impassiveness.

"Ne, Hey Itachi, Hinata-Chan you won't believe what I found! Look!" Hinata peered into his cupped hands, a white rose was there. But the edges with starting to wither and blacken.

"W-where did y-you find it?" it looked a lot like the ones from her rose bushes back with the Tomoyo trees.

"Back with the plum blossoms! Sakura-Chan's going to love it!" Before Hinata could speak Itachi had taken the rose from Naruto's hand.

"You are aware that land is strictly Hyuuga property correct? To take a flower or anything else, is considered thievery. I suggest not doing such a thing again." Hinata watched as Naruto comically paled with wide eyes.

"So those are yours Hinata-Chan? Man! I am SO sorry Hinata-Chan I really am!" he said as Itachi had handed her the small white rose.

"I-its f-fine, b-but p-please t-try to remember t-the p-park r-rules." She said cupping the white rose in her hand.

She was suddenly aware, that Itachi had never let her hand go.

"Ne are you two on a date?" Naruto said with a gleam in his eyes, Hinata squeaked blushing bright red at the inclination. She was aware now of the little space there was between them their shoulders occasionally brushing their hands intertwined.

She felt him squeeze her hand, a small gesture. But of what?

"Make of it what you will Uzumaki-San." Itachi said leading her back down the path, naruto trailing behind trying to get more out of the two.

Hinata could feel the tension rolling in waves from Itachi, the firm grip on her hand being slight proof of his irritation.

"Uzumaki-san I suggest you leave, I would like to enjoy the silence of walking without your constant need for talking." His tone was clipped, ice cold. It made Hinata whether he knew it or not flinch.

"Okay, Okay I get it you want to be alone with Hinata-Chan alright! Could've said so earlier." He said with a pout, walking away.

"T-that was a l-little m-much don't y-you think?" she asked ducking her head her bangs slightly hiding her eyes, He picked her chin up with his free hand a questioning look in his eyes as he brushed her bangs out of the way.

"Maybe so, but I would rather as I have said walk with you without hearing such unnecessary squawking. It is after some time, irate." Itachi told her, Hinata still found it to be slight rude. But kept her mouth shut, after all she didn't have the slightest clue as to what they were.

Were they still acquaintances as he had first claimed, or were they friends? Could they be something else? Something more? That ignorant pull was gleeful at the thought.

She squashed it, they barely knew each other….and she had kissed him.

"Next Saturday I am free from any workings. Perhaps you could join me for coffee?" Hinata found herself nodding, she DID want to get to know him better.

He was just different from those she already knew, and she wanted to know why that was so.

"I will pick you up then, Good night Hinata-san." He said leaving down the sidewalk to the left into a small house, Hinata continued to the Hyuuga estate.

Just as a thought hit her, why did he live in such a small place? More over why hadn't they ever crossed paths if her lived so close?


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Waiting, Leaving Forgotten.

His eyes were drawn to the calendar in a discreet manner, his younger brother downing the coffee across from him. Only three days, but he was foolish in asking her for that day.

"I'll see you then." Sasuke said a wave as he exited the house. If he didn't know any better he would've thought he was up to something.

But Sasuke, (hopefully) had long since outgrown petty tricks. So he was left alone with his thoughts once again, writing his signature on anything that required it.

He was close to stepping away from his position, to leave it with Sasuke. But not everything was done, and it wouldn't be until another four or five months.

He wished he could simply get through it quickly, but with his father breathing over his shoulder every five days. It couldn't be done any faster; five days should've been plenty of time. But lately things were stacking up, adding more and more.

Even Sasori one of his quieter workers had complained about the extra work that was being received in the offices. Sasori only complained when younger children were brought into his work space, wailing until they fell asleep.

So he really hadn't the time to add in any more, and his father was sure of it he knew. He only wanted what was best for his sons, but Itachi was bitter with that exclamation.

If that were the case why not let Sasuke take over, like he wanted too? Itachi simply wanted a smaller company, enough for him to live into his retirement. He was not fond of clan arguments his father was so adept on starting, nor was he fond of ending it in the most logical way.

Causing his father to scold him later on like a child, which Itachi was not. It was all he ever heard and he was growing sick of it, it was what had gotten Shisui killed. It was what had caused so much mentality to be thrown into chaos. For what?

It was always for the clan, how he hated the notion. It wasn't that he despised his clan, no he was as loyal as any Uchiha. But now he wasn't so sure.

He was taught from a child that Uchiha were great, luckily he was smart enough to see pass that. Uchiha were as equal as any other clan, but his father thought them greater. That they deserved more respect.

That Itachi was living proof that the Uchiha were superior over all, he scowled. It was always the clan, the clan. That same notion was what forced Shisui to try and attend the meeting through the sleet and ice. There was no snow.

Just ice, ice ice.

Then, just like that a car lost control snatching his best friend away from him. All because of the notion, that damned notion.

Uchiha are not held back, by anything or anyone.

The pen snapped in his grip, blue ink splattering across a rather unimportant document he could easily choose to reject. It stained his hand dark in the lamp lit room.

He watched it trail down leaving a blue mark in its wake, was the clan really so important?

He never agreed with it, and he was relieved when his brother (although silently) had seen through it as well. Even when that was when he had turned thirteen that was still early enough.

He remembered that day with a startling clarity, it was like ice cold water had been thrown onto him. Dripping slowly down his face and into his shirt, stinging his skin with its coldness.

He remembered it all, so very well. The piercing wail of the sirens, the screams of those who had avoided the crash. The ice stained a rusted red, people gathering around the scene with their mocking whispers.

He had seen the crash through his window, and had run. Shoving through the crowd with his shoulders, some glaring at him others tearfully moving away as if they knew who he was and what Shisui meant to him.

Shisui's eyes were usually bright and warm like a flame, some sort of mischief in his gaze. Not then. His eyes were clouded, blood came from a cut in his lip staining it red. His face was pale and ashen. Then he spoke.

His hand clasped over his shoulder as if nothing was wrong, as if he wasn't hurt. As if there hadn't been a glass plain shattered over him, like this was just another day.

"Sorry….Tachi…" he had apologized, and smiled. His voice was croaked and rasped like someone who hadn't any water for a few days. It shook his core, he was mentally shaken. He watched them put him on a stretcher, a blanket covered his chest before they suddenly just sopped.

They didn't move, only exchanging a knowing look. A woman had run from the crowd (who was she? He questioned in the present) and placed two fingers to his pulse.

She bit her lip, tiny tears falling off her chin as she said five words that had shattered his being.

"Theres no pulse, he's….dead…" another had taken her away and Itachi had choked on air.

He felt nauseas his eyes unseeing, he heard nothing. Felt nothing. Only that something had shattered and broken, sinking inside him. He pitched forward. His forehead slamming into the concrete.

He cried.

He had been broken, he Uchiha Itachi who had never shown anything to the public, just broke down.

"H-he's going I-into shock!" A tiny warm hand was placed on the side of his face; it was all he knew at the time.

"Please hold still." She had said, he was aware of being lifted onto a stretcher but it was different. He heard the camera flashes but the next day there were none, just like it had never happened.

He stood up ignoring the thoughts of that day as he cleaned his hand of the blue-black ink. It was already close to the end of the day.

Had he really been so caught up in his thoughts? He drank some water, still dry mouthed even afterwards. That day, how long would it haunt him?

He needed answers, but the real question was to what? He cracked his neck and sat down in front of his computer, a good place to start would be why there were no pictures. He had heard the clicks and flashes, so why weren't there any?

He almost, almost disconnected when the computer slowed down to a snail's pace. Instead he stood up, and walked outside.

The crisp night air was starting to creep in, it was fall. Seasons changed so quickly, just come and go. Wasn't that what everything was?

To be remembered, then to leave this world for death. Then as time moves forward, it doesn't wait for the memories to be engraved into ones thoughts, no its always going to continue.

Until even the most valiant are forgotten, would that happen with Shisui? With him? Of course it would.

It always did.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Temari's Fan

Temari ignored the looks her brother gave her as she walked up to the wall, her hand tracing the paper. It wasn't an ordinary fan.

It folded and strapped against her back perfectly, wind bent to its will. It wasn't overly exaggerated with its details, no. It was white, three violet circles spread out like moons.

But, it also held the reason, of her dislike for the eldest Uchiha brother she had agreed to get her precious little sister figure with. On the left, the corner, it was (originally) stained. Coffee along with a small tear.

He had fallen just as she was placing it back, he claimed. But she was enraged, he was trained in a variety of mixed martial arts. There was no way, no fucking way he had just 'tripped' over his own foot.

But, for all that it was worth she had easily gotten Ten-ten to fix it, it was just her grudge she had problems letting go of. After all, she was a master or fan mistress so to speak when she used it.

She snorted and drew her hand back, she had to meet Shikamaru in the park for coffee. 'Better get ready' a small voice taunted in her skull 'don't keep the lazy ass waiting.' It spoke with a giddy tone.

She rolled her teal eyes and braided her hair back, dressed in a simple black ribboned shirt and leggings.

She gave a smirk as she saw her reflection 'knock em' dead or knock em' senseless' she thought walking into the park, the Subaku estate contrary to popular belief was inside konoha. At least hers was, her brothers just occasional spent the night there when Suna became too troublesome.

"Hey, over here." Temari turned around and saw him lounging on a bench, she scowled.

"You act like you own the place." He smirked, his head thrown back over the edge of the bench.

"I own this quarter."

"Smart ass." He grunted and sat up, she sat besides him taking the offered coffee.

It was quiet for a brief moment before Shikamaru cracked his neck, a pop echoing the silent area.

"Rumor from Naruto says Hinata and Itachi are together." Temari rose a brow, she knew that they were trying to get them together 'naturally' but it couldn't have worked so fast.

It shouldn't have.

Hinata was shy, and Itachi…Yeah best not go there.

"Naruto says a lot of things, which usually don't end up true." Like when he said he had seen Sakura and Sasuke together. He sounded peeved but honestly the laughter there gave it away.

That and Sakura was a complete whore, who Sasuke had stated clearly he wouldn't touch with a nineteen and a half foot pole.

"Doubt it, Naruto's wild with his stories." She commented sipping the warm drink.

"Eh he says he plucked a white rose, and that Itachi threatened to sue him because it was from Hinata's gardens." Temari choked on her coffee.

Those roses were beautiful and she had helped Hinata plant those! If Naruto so much as TOUCHED a single petal!

"See it may not be as wild as we think." Shikamaru said slapping her back lightly.

"Didn't think you were one to gossip Nara." He gave her a lazy look, accompanied with a small grin.

"I'm not, I just like knowing my facts." She punched his arm smirking.

"Smartass." He groaned and fell off the bench landing on his back, his eyes focused on the clouds. She admittedly liked that particular shade of brown. It reminded her of the eyes of a buck.

She liked bucks, they were around and although quiet sprang into action when something of theirs was threatened.

"See anything you like?" he said in a drawl, his tone teasing. Had anyone not paid any attention they wouldn't have seen the light pink dusting her face.

She gave a cheeky grin, a habit picked up from playing pool with Hinata and her younger sister Hanabi.

"Nope, just wondering how it's possible for one to get so ugly." He cracked open a brown buck's eye. One eyebrow raised up as if to say 'oh really?'

"Do you really think so? I can easily change your opinion." He said flopping over his spiked ponytail defying the law of gravity.

"How do you plan on doing that Nara?" she asked looking down at him from the bench. He grabbed her leg and pulled her off the bench her coffee thankfully set down on the ground.

He grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her waist, grinning against her ear.

"I think you already know that answer?" his tone jilted teasingly, she smirked up at him and pecked his lips.

"Smartass." He leaned against the bench.

"Only to you."


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: Don't own

Chapter Sixteen

Coffee

Sasuke rolled his eyes after unlocking the door, Itachi wasn't up and it was already eight. It was surprising; after all he was always up before six.

"Hey Itachi! Get up!" he shouted thumping his fist on the bedroom door, the door swung open revealing his brother. Sasuke hadn't seen his brother in such disarray since high school.

His face was blotchy and his normal face ridges were deeper, more carved in, making him appear older then he already was and twenty five wasn't that old. At least in Sasuke's opinion anyway, he himself was only twenty the same as the others.

His hair was tangled, and stuck out making the dark markings under his eyes stand out. Sasuke couldn't hide the fact that he was worried, but didn't speak those thoughts aloud. Couldn't after all Itachi would just deny the facts, even if he himself knew them to be true.

"Its eight am, I think it's about time you got up you know." He stated in a drawl, Itachi nodded walking past him. Sasuke heard the coffee boiling and sighed, something was clearly upsetting his brother but he couldn't find out what.

Itachi blankly stared at the coffee in his hand, it was black and burned his hand through the mug. But it was ignored he still couldn't find information on that day, all he could pick up was that everything had been deleted lest they wanted to be sued.

But he couldn't find out WHO gave that order, who would go out of their way like that? They had to be a clan who else could do such a thing. He shook his head sipping the bitter drink, causing his senses to waken.

He ran his free hand through his hair, shaking his head slightly. It felt oily…He needed a shower.

"You know, I would think you'd be ready already. Its eight thirty." His younger brother stated dryly. Itachi raised a brow, how would he know if he was going out? Itachi's eyes narrowed.

"Do you think I'm going somewhere little brother?" he questioned drinking from the still steaming mug. Sasuke rolled his eyes with the maturity of a teen.

"Nah, it's just a little late for you. I assumed you would be all things considering. That and the fact that you would oh so casually glance at the clock when you had the chance." Sasuke smirked as Itachi shook his head with a tight lipped smile of his own.

"Well I am heading out sometime soon, just a coffee break nothing more." He said placing the empty mug at the sink before walking to the bathroom, he really needed a shower.

The water beat on his back as he stared off blankly into space, washing his hair and such as needed. What was he doing? He still had work to do; he hadn't times for any play dates.

He blinked slowly, when was it a date? Wasn't it just a meeting for coffee?

The steam had fogged up the mirrors and he scowled in annoyance, wiping it away with a towel. Dressing himself quickly before stopping at the same mirror he had just cleaned, what would she think of him?

Why had she done what she had? Why had he returned the gesture?

He frowned, not seeing what so many women did. He was…attractive he knew. But not so much so that he should obtain deranged stalkers, honestly.

He even looked older then he truly was, the ridges and marks under his eyes just another factor. Would Hinata mind? He yanked the brush through his hair sharply cutting off that line of thought; he knew his reactions were based mainly on the fact that she was a pretty woman.

He snorted, pretty, what an understatement. He rested his head against the glass, what was wrong with him?

He exited the bathroom schooling his face into a neutral expression he wore so often, though he was sure there was a crack somewhere the way his brother was staring at him…

"Is something wrong little brother?" he questioned wrapping the scarf around his neck, it was a bit chilly today.

"Nothing, its just wherever you plan on going you should hurry. Its ten."

"Nani? Theres no way." He didn't think Sasuke would hear but sadly younger siblings had a tendency of hearing what they aren't supposed too.

"You were in the bathroom for a long time, I'm surprised you didn't burn out with the steam that came out of there." Sasuke said tilting his head back towards the steamed looking door. Itachi cringed, he was thinking too much on this one girl…woman.

"Apparently so, I will be home soon." Depending on your definition of soon anyway.

"See you in the afternoon then." Sasuke said shutting the door behind him, leaving Itachi in the frigid air. He could see the frost and wondered, where did it come from?

He knew there was going to be a cold front but still, this much? People were in tank tops and shorts yesterday, surely the weather couldn't change so suddenly? Another blast of cold air hit his face making him regret that hot shower.

His feet carried him past a multitude of houses before stopping at the Hyuuga mansion, he felt his fists clench and slowly unclenched them. His eyebrows furrowed together in slight confusion, maybe it was just the cold…the door opened after a moment.

A young older teenager opened the door, her brown hair in disarray and her clothes tousled as if she had just thrown them on. She held a sleepy look in her pale eyes and was glaring at him with the annoyance of being woken up.

"Hello, is Hinata-san here?" he said trying not to seem perturbed by the sight of the younger heiress in such a fashion. His father would have punished Sasuke severely if he had seen him in such clothing.

The girl rose an eyebrow as if to say ' and you are?' before rolling her eyes and shouting.

"Hina-Chan!~ some guy is at the door for you!" he managed to stifle a groan, that made him sound like some sort of pedophile.

"C-coming Hanabi-Chan!" he heard the light footsteps quickly running across the polished tiles, and found he was holding his breath. He almost frowned but focused on breathing once more as Hinata appeared before him.

Her hair straight and a dark brown artists cap was adorning her head, a long skirt (pale cream and brown) reaching past her knees while a cream shirt adorned her top. She wore a pale lavender jacket throwing off the coffee like colors, but he found that he liked it.

It was so…Hinata. He found himself regretting his own choice of clothing simple dark jeans, a black muscle shirt and jacket along with his scarf.

"I-Itachi-san?" she seemed surprised, did she forget?

"I-It's a little early, come in?" she offered, he shook his head.

"I would rather walk, join me?" He felt like smacking himself, seriously it was warmer inside so that would be the most logical option. At least in his eyes anyway.

"O-okay, let me j-just tell N-neji." Neji? Wasn't that her cousin?

She vanished leaving him alone with Hanabi, whom he had forgotten about up till now. She leaned against the door frame a smirk that seemed a tad cheeky plastering onto her face.

"You now, you're the first to get her out of the house in a while." He almost laughed at the irony of the conversation, seriously. What were the chances of him getting another person out of the house?

"So, you break her I break you. Understood Uchiha?" her eyes narrowed and glinting like the frosty glare he knew so well from the Hyuugas, but this was different. Perhaps it was because of the change of cause for the look, to protect her older sister?

He would have found it amusing had he been anyone else, after all Sasuke had done this with many people who tried to talk to him in high school.

"I don't plan on causing her harm Hyuuga-san no worries." Hanabi snorted, with a look of disbelief on her face. She wasn't convinced he was sure, when she spoke the slight hiss made it more apparent that she was out to get him. At least he ASSUMED she was out to get him.

"Please, you've hurt Ten-Chan and Mari-Chan why should I trust you?" she plastered a fake smile on her face as Hinata revealed herself once more, a questioning look crossing her face.

"Nothing is wrong Hinata-san just some conversation with your younger sister, she has quite the sharp wit. Sadly not half as clever as to think before she speaks." Hinata gave him a chiding look that he mentally adored.

Her eyes scrunched up slightly in what COULD pass as a glare, had her nose not twitched at the last second. It would also help if her eyes weren't so expressive.

"Hanabi is not the only one with this problem I-it seems." She said stuttering only once, he smiled. So the Hyuuga heiress was not as weak as she was made out to be, interesting.

"It would seem so, I apologize Hanabi-san, Hinata-san." He should have remembered how close she was with her sister, they could be closer then he and Sasuke. Something he had little difficulty believing after seeing the two sisters protecting each other.

"Alls forgiven, so hurry I want to play pool." Hanabi said shoving Hinata outside causing their shoulders to brush. She shivered slightly, the cold air blasting into the both of them.

"H-how could it h-have gotten s-so cold so s-soon?" she asked her arms wrapping around herself, before walking off the porch. Itachi followed eventually just taking small strides besides her, he bit his lip.

What should he even say? They were walking in the cold because of him, so what COULD he say? Hinata shivered slightly and he (in a momentarily small burst of audacity) draped his arm over her shoulders pulling her into his side.

"A-ah Itachi-san?" she turned a very dark red instantly, a change from how pale she was only moments before.

"You were cold." He stated simply, hoping his voice was as crisp as the air. He still didn't (couldn't) understand what was wrong, he didn't want theses reactions, because it was unknown. Itachi was many things, and one thing he was, was careful. He didn't like unknown reactions, so he makes them known, but this…he didn't feel threatened. He was amused and even enjoyed the nervousness and slight frustrations.

Who exactly was Hyuuga Hinata to reveal a new door to him, to reveal something other countless women have tried to and failed to unveil.

"If that's okay?" he added as an after thought, he didn't want to come off as rude. Nani? What was he hoping to accomplish in doing this exactly, the strange feeling of venturing swept unto him again.

"Yo Hinata!" he unconsciously pulled her closer a small frown marring his face, it was the Inuzuka. He felt something sink.

"K-Kiba!" a wide smile touched her face and he wilted, why couldn't she smile like that around him? Kiba grinned pulling her away from him and giving her a bear hug, a scowl being thrown towards Itachi.

"How are you doing?" Kiba asked her, a toothy grin threatening to split his face in half. Hinata answered that she was fine and asked how he was doing, leading to a thirty minute conversation between the two. Itachi had never felt what it was like to be the third wheel, all he knew…

Was it sucked, majorly.

He wasn't going to stand around for another thirty minutes, and the Inuzuka needed to back off. He wanted his day with her, even if he didn't know why, and Itachi NEVER failed in getting what he wanted. Even if that was a person.

He cleared his throat in a small attempt to remind Hinata they still  
>needed to get going.<p>

"O-Oh! I-I'm s-so s-sorry Itachi-san!" she said in a rush turning that dark shade of red again, he smirked to himself as she bid the Inuzuka farewell for the day. Finally they could get going, when he did leave he grabbed onto her hand again. Relishing the small blush that had over taken her, he wasn't the only one new to this foreign feeling.

When they both reached the coffee shop he almost, ALMOST smiled. What he had wanted to see would finally be revealed. Making him sure if he shouldn't or should do with this new way of looking and feeling.

He opened the door to the coffee shop and decided, right there. That coffee was one of the best past times, even better when you're visiting with someone. Especially when that someone was a Hyuuga Hinata.


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: Don't own, enjoy the fluff!

Chapter Seventeen

Bittersweet

Hinata sat at the table biting her lip softly, she had been so rude earlier… She had been so nervous that she instantly sought Kiba for a form of comfort.

Hinata wanted to smack herself, but refrained from doing so because she couldn't cause a spectacle. Certainly not with him here, or anyone else for that matter. Why was he even trying to talk with her anyway? She wasn't pretty like Sakura or talkative like Ino, not spunky like Temari. She certainly wasn't a weapons expert like Ten-Ten.

So why was he talking to her so pleasantly? Why was he 'pretending' to enjoy this coffee break? Was he trying to get her to let him in before destroying her? Why wait? Hinata was always vulnerable at least that's what her father said.

"Hinata-san, are you enjoying yourself?" he asked his face completely, carefully blank. She squeaked and nodded, she wasn't lying exactly, she just wasn't sure why he was spending time with her.

"That's good, I'm enjoying myself as well." He drank from the coffee mug before setting it down and biting into the pastries set before them, stopping only to stare at her.

His eyes that same intensity from before, sparking with some unspoken determination. She couldn't describe it, but it was familiar to her somehow.

"Are you not hungry?" she felt herself turn red realizing that she hadn't taken anything to eat yet. She quietly picked up a pastry before taking a bite, it was…Sweet.

"I-Its s-sweet." She felt that urge to hit herself rise up once more at his amused expression, the silent laughter dancing in his eyes.

"Yes, my brother says I have too much of a thing for sweets." Hinata not knowing what to say to that drank from her coffee, which held sugar and cream. It was really warm inside, a contrast from the bitter cold outside.

Where did the sudden cold come from anyway? She shook her head slightly, why was she thinking about the weather?

"W-why are you s-spending t-the d-day with m-me?" she instantly slapped a hand over her mouth her eyes wide.

"I-I I'm s-sorry!" she stopped hearing his low laughter.

"I-Itachi-san?" his eyes met hers and that spark leapt up once more, more of a flame then anything else at the moment.

"I'm guessing your thinking I'm in this for some company agreement correct?" she couldn't stop herself from nodding, it was just too convenient. She goes out for the night and meets someone who treats her more like an equal then anyone else has, in the first meeting as well.

"I can assure you, I am here of my own will. It is pleasant speaking with you, and you are pleasant to the eye as well." She felt a blush creep up onto her face.

"Your innocence intrigues me as well, it's far too rare." He stood up and walked over to her, and helped her out of her chair a smile gracing his face.

They exited the small coffee shop leaving the bill, which Hinata wanted to help with but Itachi had refused outright.

Eventually they stopped at the small lake, the frost nipping at her face. Hinata turned away from the wind in the process leaning into his side; he grabbed her hand with a coy smirk. She huffed slightly still red from before.

"I intend to be the one to break it." The intensity in his eyes beckoned her closer and she slowly complied, knowing only that dark look. The one that was so familiar that she couldn't leave it alone.

His lips touched hers and she almost leapt back from the suddenness, stopping only once. Enough for him to pullback first holding her against him.

It felt like her face was on fire and she wanted desperately to pass out, for this all to be a dream. She didn't want to be hurt anymore, not from her family or him.

His gloved hands wiped at her face and he looked down at her with a frown, and she flinched.

"Whatever it is you are thinking…I can assure you will not happen. If you are scared, don't be I will not allow harm to come to you." He seemed so sincere that Hinata couldn't help but nod when he hugged her, she didn't once think of him as the Uchiha heir.

Just Itachi, and he thought of her as just Hinata. Neither knew this, but Hinata appreciated this completely.

"It's not as cold anymore." He said still gripping her hand, she lightly squeezed back surprising them both.

Hinata hummed in agreement, after all what could she say? She walked besides him and realized it was starting to get darker, how long could they have been out?

"I believe I should get you back, it is late." He said leading her to the concrete sidewalk, she would have protested but it was late. The street lights were starting to light after all, so she nodded without a word.

It wasn't exactly pleasant for the first five minutes of the walk, and Hinata could feel her eye slowly adapt a small twitch.

"W-what is your favorite color?" did she really just say that? She peeked up from under her bangs and realized she had.

"I don't believe I have one." Hinata blinked in surprise.

"H-how do you not h-have a favorite color?" Itachi's eyebrows knit together in thought, Hinata wondered if speaking at all was the brightest idea she had.

"I do not have a favorite color because what value is there in a color? You can say the lake is a darker shade of blue then the sky, but what point is there? They are both blue just a different shade, if anything color is just a reflection of the sun's light." Hinata frowned.

"W-what about two different colors entirely? How could y-you explain the j-joy of color to a b-blind man? Someone who remembered the c-colors and what I-it was like to see them. So h-how can there b-be no value when that o-one person is just one of m-maybe thousands w-who long to see what h-has not been forgotten?" Hinata questioned him, which in turn seemed to surprise the older man at the level of intellect there was in that one question.

"Is that so? Then what is your favorite color Hinata-san?" she bit her lip and thought, what WAS her favorite color?

"I p-prefer earthy s-shades, they have a certain v-value reminding us that even though b-brown or dapple g-gold may not be the brightest or the darkest of c-colors they still have meaning."

"That is an interesting point Hinata-san; if that is the case then I believe I would find a liking to the shade of white."

White? She assumed he would pick something like red or black maybe even navy blue.

"W-why white?"

"Because white is a color that is free of any other color, you can not simply mix another color and expect another shade. You must be precise or you will end with another result entirely, an example would be mixing white with violet. You have two outcomes. Light purple or lavender, but that is only if you know what you are doing."

Hinata nodded, that did make sense. After all Neji often chose white as a color, if this were the case for choosing such then it made perfect sense.

"Now, why are you so interested in a color of my choice?" Hinata flushed, she was just trying to make conversation!

"I-I was j-just-" Itachi looked down at her and smirked, He was teasing her!

"Y-you j-jerk!" she voiced playfully batting at his arm; he either didn't notice or didn't care. Because he continued on with out a care it would seem.

"We are almost there; perhaps you would care to attempt to harm me at a later date?" Hinata felt a blush creep up her neck, attempt? What was that supposed to mean?

"It means you really aren't doing much damage." He answered; Hinata's face went up in flames. Did she really just say that aloud?

"Yes, yes you did." Itachi said walking up to the door; Hinata followed shortly still a bright red. He smirked down at her and Hinata had a faint feeling that something very interesting was about to happen causing the night to be very memorable.

She was right; he had kissed her forehead and Hinata being herself.

She fainted.

Author's Note: Now tell me you didn't see THAT coming. Poor Hinata!


	18. Ghost of a past part 1

Disclaimer: If I owned, I wouldn't be here. In other words no.

Chapter Eighteen

Scarlet ring

Did she really faint? If he hadn't known her (or at the very least seen her before) he would've panicked. Luckily Itachi didn't panic, he had seen her do this before thus saving him the trouble of explaining when her younger cousin opened the door.

He felt his skin darkening at her very crude words of choice.

"Wow down already?" Itachi was no fool, he knew what she meant. She gave him a cheeky grin and hauled her older cousin into the house, the door slamming shut in front of him.

He rubbed at his now sore nose, glaring slightly at the offending object. That door should be burned, then again that would leave Hinata vulnerable wouldn't it?

Suddenly aware of how late it was he stiffened and strode forward, his dark eyes tracing every shadow that darted besides him. He tensed and coiled slightly, why was it so quiet?

"Scarlet." Itachi lunged forward wasting no time; he would never again be called by such a name.

Adrenaline forced through his blood, it pounded in his ears and he forced himself to calm down.

"Scarlet rain." They were mocking him, he seethed. Damn, out of all times to be found again! This was the eighth time he had moved, he wasn't ready to just pack up his things and run!

His jaw tightly locked in place as a bunched up fist was thrown into his stomach twisting as it did so, his eyes narrowed appearing to turn red in the moonlight.

"Have you let yourself become so weak? Scarlet?" the same disembodied voice spoke again, not revealing his true intentions. The fist pulled back and he lunged forward grabbing the arm and twisting it back behind his foe's back.

He heard cursing as he slammed the man into the ground, he knew there were more. He needed to get out of here, now. Why only two though? The others wouldn't have let just two go alone.

Least of all to take him down, he wasn't bragging either he could hold his own. Very well.

The other man knocked something into the side of his head, a thwock sounded out and his vision became blurry. He bit his lip harshly blood escaping the tender skin, he stood up off the ground and rolled to the left avoiding the same object that had hit his head only moments before.

"You have become weak, why I should take you back. Well I wouldn't. But you know the rules, you've betrayed the new dawn Scarlet. Now you will suffer." The metal clanged as the man dropped it; Itachi closed his eyes willing himself not to faint.

He would die if he did.

They would drag him back and destroy everything he had built up, torture those close to him and make him watch from the sides. Then they would throw him to the masochist or sadist, there he would be tortured until finally left in an ally to rot.

Nothing left nothing worth killing.

He knew, because he had been the sadist to cause such torture. His nails bit crescent bites into his palms and he waited for his enemy to approach.

The man (whom must have been a new recruit as he did not recognize the voice) flew at him in a fit of rage that Itachi had not been knocked out yet.

Yet why were his attacks so easily predicted? His voice must have changed or something along the like, since he now prowled outside of Itachi's attack range. After all not many knew he had a range. Itachi whipped to his left and feigned escape, before twisting his body sharply kicking the man in the back of his head.

He cursed and crouched low, like an animal of some sort. Of course their group should be classified as beasts, ruthless rabid beasts.

Blinded by their anger he could easily knock his opponents down, at least he used to be able too. He hadn't been training since he had met Hinata over three weeks ago.

The man kicked himself off the balls of his feet and Itachi saw his flesh ripped through the sleeve of his shirt, THEN he felt it. Hot sticky blood ran down his arm, slowed only by the now torn fabric in the way.

He had a knife! Itachi grunted and dodged him as he darted forward once more, he had to get the knife away from him. The question to be answered though was how?

He flipped back on his hands and winced at the jagged pain lacing his left arm, he had torn the wound even further. He kept his face carefully blank after that, for his enemy had spoken once again.

"How does it feel you fucking ass!" if Itachi hadn't known any better than he would have assumed the man to be Hidan.

But Hidan had quit long before he did, surprisingly stating he didn't want to fight anyone who was innocent.

Itachi found him nearly dead the next day, a knife in his back. Pain claimed they had done nothing, but Itachi knew. They had gone and stabbed him in the back, and would do that to him too if he hadn't left fast enough.

"I bet I remind you of someone, don't I?" Itachi nodded solemnly, Hidan was the most unusual person he had ever met, threatening to kill you one minute then flat out ignoring you.

"It would seem so, you know me. But who are you?" his voice betrayed nothing, and only he seemed to hear the roaring of his pulse and feel the shaking in his muscles.

"You left me to die! You fucking piece of shit!" Itachi's mouth dried instantly as the man revealed his face from the black hoodie. Silver slicked back hair held an illuminate glow from the moon's light and magenta eyes flashed angrily at him.

"Hidan?"

Author's note: I know there wasn't much ItaHina in this one and that it was short but I needed to add some action or it would become like those soap operas or sappy romance stories. Hopefully you liked the surprise appearance of Hidan! His secret shall be revealed hopefully next chapter, anyone care to take a guess? The answer will surprise you!


	19. Who knew?

Disclaimer: How many times must my dreams be shot? I do NOT own Naruto!

Chapter Nineteen

Who knew?

"This is where you fucking live? You're shitting me!" Hidan said throwing himself into Itachi's leather couch. Itachi frowned at his manner of speaking but shrugged it off, it was Hidan after all.

"Why did you attack me? How are you still alive?" Itachi said voice edged sharply with a dark tone, Hidan paused at said tone. He shivered, he did like THAT tone, and it meant shit just got serious.

"I attacked you because I didn't have a choice; I lived because of my sister." Itachi gave no indication of surprise though he didn't show it he was curious; it didn't keep him from asking.

"You have a sister?" Hidan's eyes narrowed into slits, Itachi almost laughed at the irony of the situation as he had gotten that same look from Neji only days ago.

"I won't try to take her away, I am merely curious." Hidan's eyes lit up with mirth and a wry grin made its way onto his face.

"You already fucking after someone, aren't you?" Itachi made no move to answer, unfortunately Hidan although an idiot was not stupid. Apparently he could read Itachi well, that alone was enough to gain the respect of many people including him.

"Hell that's fucking rich! Itachi's pining FINALLY after some girl, that's so fucking ironic!" Itachi glared at him hoping to shut the silver haired man up, it only increased his laughter.

"Hidan, shut up." Hidan paused before shaking his head.

"Love life of the non-emotional jackass aside, yeah I have a sister she saved my life. Her name's Lisa, she was studying as a nurse in surgery when she found me. I was never fucking dead, you only assumed I was. Because I almost fucking was."

Itachi frowned, he was sue he had seen Hidan's body. He wasn't breathing and he had no pulse…How did this add up? Even the most skilled surgeon would have trouble healing him; a rookie helping him recover was far too unlikely.

Unless she brought Hidan to the head doctor, then he could believe it. But he had more pressing matters to return to.

"Why did you have no choice to attack me?" Hidan frowned his eyes narrow and furious. What had Itachi tense though was that he was silent; Hidan was never quiet borderline maybe but never completely silent. It almost seemed as if death had reached his shadowy claws around his throat, as if merely speaking would be his or someone else's death.

"They had Lisa, the Akatsuki. But Sasori one of your workers has gotten to work on bailing her out. She should be back in a week or so, at least that's what Sasori fucking said." Itachi sighed.

"I was afraid of that since Sasori had requested a short vacation, it makes sense. I'm guessing you have nowhere to stay? You are welcome here, so long as you do not meddle in my life affairs." Hidan grinned and threw his fist in the air.

"Hell yeah! By the way, when am I meeting the bitch?" The air in the room suddenly chilled as Itachi faced Hidan. Shadows danced under his eyes and a tight lipped frown was in place, Hidan felt his pulse race as Itachi seemingly stalked towards him. To where even though Hidan was taller it seemed as if Itachi was looming over him, it almost scared the shit out of him.

"She's not a bitch; refrain from calling her anything in such a rude manner." Hidan tried not to laugh, he really did but it was too much. He could sum this up in a single sentence so he did.

"You're fucking smitten."

"And you're an idiot." Itachi deadpanned.

"Hey!" Hidan pouted while cursing under his breath, reminding Itachi of a child. A rather bad mouthed idiotic and near-suicidal child (what with all his stupid stunts it's a miracle in itself that he's even alive.) But a child none the less.

"What the fuck ever, I still plan on meeting her." Hidan grinned, a mischievous glint lighting his eyes. Itachi scowled, not wanting the bad mouthed idiot near his Hinata.

He almost froze as his mind back pedaled, his? When had Hinata become his and not just Hinata? The thought was rather random, but he had reason to think through when he had seen her in such a way.

After all, even though they knew each other they had only been out once or twice. Not counting the bar incident of course, but really was that enough to make him view her that way? He had gone o countless dates, and because of his mother had kissed countless numbers of girls.

None of which brought any satisfaction but then he recalled that day, under the Tomoyo tree. Never had he felt such a desire to hold someone close, never had he wanted a female to be as close as Hinata had been. What shocked him, was that Itachi had wanted her even closer. He walked to his room mind spinning over his thoughts, no those other girls.

They always looked for the right place, the best way to kiss him. But that was not so, they were not the right people. But Hinata, she was. Itachi had no clue as to how he knew, but he knew one thing. He wanted her to want him, not just any form of desire.

Itachi wanted Hinata to love him.

No one else but him, had she been with anyone else he would still be a cold emotionless man walking to his death. He would never have known either, he would have just kept walking.

He closed his eyes Tomoyo trees flitting behind his eye lids, itachi smirked. There had been no need for atmosphere or the 'right' way to start to kiss him.

It was strange he had not that of this before, merely just going along with it. Now though formerly locked emotions were flooding his thoughts, questions that either confused him or left him with a slight blush.

Itachi knew what he needed to do, and he would do it. He wanted Hinata to love him, but Itachi knew that he had to be sure. He had to be sure that this was no mere trick of his lower instincts.

Itachi needed to wake his sleeping beauty, tomorrow he would know. If he was resulted in that answer, he would pursue her. He would court her, and he would not stop. Not even if her father tried to get back at him, because Itachi was an Uchiha. Not only was he an Uchiha, but he was Itachi.

He never failed in getting what he wanted. He only hoped Hinata would see him the way he saw her.

Author's note: Okay it's been WAY to long since I've updated so I gave you something juicy! Might be getting close to the end, not too sure though I love this story and hope it will be longer than just twenty chapters!


	20. Innocent Hinata

Disclaimer: Once again I do not own Naruto!

* * *

><p>Chapter Twenty<p>

Innocent Hinata

Hinata blinked her eyes snapping open as the day light shone through her window. She yawned, rubbing at her eyes as she exited her bed and became ready for her day, it was another free day for her.

Hinata really needed to thank Neji for doing this for her, he had become so thoughtful lately. But they may just be because of Tayuya, Hinata knew her. She cursed a lot and was a bit brash, but that was only because her family had beaten her. They left her at an orphanage years ago.

Tayuya had gotten as far as she had, because of herself. This is why Hinata looked up to the older girl who was in more ways than one, like her older sister.

"Good morning Hanabi-chan." Hinata said greeting her younger sister, who in turn gave a half-hearted wave. They both went their separate ways as the day began, Hinata not having any work to do (really sometimes she thought Neji was all work and no play) decided to walk to her section of the park.

The trail was still as new looking as ever, but as before it did nothing to the gentle section of the garden. The white and lavender roses were still blooming, the air still clean and refreshing.

But then something made her chest lurch forward in panic a small ting of smoke had entered the air.

"P-Please n-no!" She whispered running towards her mother's Tomoyo tree, a delicate dainty hand was pinching a match. The small flame dancing as her beacon, the Tomoyo petals starting to wither from the heat.

"S-Sakura-san?" Bright emerald green eyes stared back at her, a cruel smirk twisting her normally pretty face. Her sparkling emerald eyes darkened and narrowed into slits, like an angry cat's.

"Hello Hinata-_chan_ what brings you here?" Hinata shivered at her tone of voice, it was so…So bitter and angry. Scathing as if she were an open flame, like the end of her match pinched between her nails.

"I w-was walking a-and I smelled s-smoke, w-why are you holding a m-match?" Hinata didn't want to believe her friend would do this, she couldn't.

"Are you really that stupid? Ha! I can't believe Itachi would take an interest in someone like YOU. Tell me Hinata do you really believe he actually likes you, of all people? _you_? Don't make me laugh, I'm trying to help you really I am."

Hinata's eyes teared up slightly, what was she talking about? Didn't Itachi like her? More over why did it matter to Sakura? Something was wrong, she had to be lying.

"W-what d-do y-you m-mean Sakura-san?" Hinata couldn't keep the quiver out of her voice; Sakura's eyes gleamed as she put out the match. Sakura knew perfectly how to destroy the Hyuuga, forget burning the gardens.

"I'm so sorry Hinata; I was hoping Gaara would have told you." Sakura instantly put on her sympathetic face, after all why burn her gardens? Why not just rip out her heart, leave it to _rot? _

"W-what?"

"Itachi's just using you, you see. He lost his best friend a while back, and he hasn't been functioning right. His father almost disowned him, and would have too had he not gone to the bar that night." Sakura paused hoping she was pulling it off nicely.

She was not, but that she did not know.

"So you see, he met you and what better way to ensure his place as clan Heir? When he could date their rival's next Heiress? I'm so sorry Hinata…" Hinata's head whipped up, her eyes turning frosty and cold.

Sakura froze, that look…those eyes! She shivered as they whipped towards her, the intensity brutally terrifying.

_"You're lying."_ There was no stutter, who was this girl? This wasn't the Hinata she knew! It couldn't be!

"What are you talking about Hina-chan?" Hinata narrowed her eyes, Sakura really took her to be a fool didn't she?

_"You're lying, you've never liked me. What would change your mind now? Do you really take me to be a fool? Sakura?"_ There was no way this girl was Hinata, Hinata was shy, and she was sweet and gullible. She was clumsy and easily fooled.

Hinata was innocent.

This woman wasn't, she was shy yes, but she was NOT sweet or foolish. She was a true Hyuuga at heart, she was harsh and indifferent. She was cold and frightening.

This wasn't Hinata!

"No b-but.." Did she just stutter?

_"Get out of my gardens, you do not belong here!"_ this was said softly, but so clearly like the pain of being stung by a wasp.

"You're not Hinata!" Sakura accused frantically, as 'Hinata' stood up her eyes flashing.

_"My name is Hyuuga Hinata, these are my gardens. These were my mother's gardens, you have tried to play me a fool. You are not welcome here, get out!"_ Sakura ran, ran as if she were being chased by a demoness.

Because in her mind she was, she never knew that's what Hyuuga woman were. When something they loved was threatened.

Hinata sunk to her knees, her eyes dry and misty. What had she done? Did she really just chase off a friend?_ 'No she was never your friend, get over the pink haired bitch.'_ A voice taunted her.

It rang from her skull and it frightened her, why she did not know. But she did feel shame over all, the shame and guilt of doing what she had just done.

_'Why feel sympathy for her? Sakura already has Naruto-kun, are you really going to give up Itachi and your gardens to her as well?'_ Hinata decided she didn't like the voice, it was too cruel and oh so true that it hurt.

Hinata curled under her Tomoyo tree, her head hidden between her knees as she cried. What had she just done?

"Why are you crying, she's needed someone to stand up to her for a while now." She looked up her watery eyes meeting warm onyx black ones.

"Itachi?" The lack of Kun surprised him, but it pleased him as well. For he had grown close enough to her for her to drop any honor bound suffixes.

"Yes Hinata?" He looked down at her, her eyes still silently crying and her face flushed from her tears. Frowning he kneeled in front of her, all thoughts from the previous night currently dropped.

Itachi hooked his knuckle under her chin, his eyes boring into her own. Suddenly she latched onto him, her head fixated perfectly under his jaw. She cried softly and he did nothing.

He couldn't think of anything to do, so he just held her rocking slowly. It was all he could think of to do.

When she had finally fallen asleep he picked her up, it was still rather early in the day, so they could stay here. Perhaps they shouldn't leave either, he thought placing himself beneath the Tomoyo tree.

Hinata twisted burying her face into his chest, he smirked. She was strong, but if things went the way he hoped for them to she wouldn't have to be.


	21. Bonding or Fading?

Disclaimer: Trust me I do not own Naruto

Chapter Twenty one

Bonding or Fading?

"Hinata, you said once that your mother had died." Itachi stated locking his eyes onto her face. Hinata nodded, wondering slightly why he would say what he already knew.

"Is that her grave marker?" Itachi knew what he was doing, Hinata however did not and simply nodded.

"What was she like?" He asked, Hinata's eyes widened as the question. Hanabi had asked her this only once, and that one time was enough for the young Hyuuga who had ran out of the room in tears.

"Why d-do you want t-to know?" Hinata asked him, Itachi rolled his shoulder jostling her slightly in the process.

"I merely wish to know who was the mother of someone as intriguing as you." Hinata blushed heavily under the hidden compliment before nodded, an answer to his request.

"M-my mother's name was Hitomi, because unlike other Hyuuga's she had a slight shade of violet as a pupil where everyone else's were faded into the eye. S-she had long hair t-the same shade as m-mine. Her skin was white, like snow but she wasn't ugly. I think m-my mother was very beautiful." Itachi smiled holding Hinata close to him.

"I can see her looks have been passed to you quite fairly then." Hinata shook her head.

"I'm nowhere near m-my mother's beauty." Itachi sighed mentally at her frail confidence. But smiled at her nonetheless, she was opening up to him and that was what mattered.

"I can disagree with that, but each to their own it would seem. What was she like personality wise?" Hinata frowned and seemingly was trying to remember.

"She was very quiet, but she was strong as well. N-No one could knock her d-down, and s-she wouldn't g-give into anyone w-without a fight either. But she was also v-very nice and g-gentle, she was outspoken too." Itachi could easily see where Hinata's strength and appearance had come from, if only she could see herself the way he saw her.

"Tell m-me about your m-mother, p-please?" he couldn't say no he found to his dismay, his will so legendary and impossible to break. Had been bent to the control of this one woman.

"My mother was very stern, with wide ink colored eyes. Her hair was a sort of raven hue, with pale skin. She loved to cook and often tended to Sasuke, as father held no interest in going back to toddlers. She was kind but held a fire and mischievous air that made even father fear her anger." Itachi stated bemused by how accurate he had spoken of his mother.

"S-she sounds a l-lot like Sasuke, the last p-part I mean." Itachi nodded, Sasuke took a lot after their mother. Itachi unfortunately enough took after his father personality and appearance wise. The latter more so than the latter thank kami.

"Would you like to come by my house for lunch?" He asked politely looking down at her lavender tinted eyes. Hinata blushed under the intensity of his gaze before nodding slightly, she had wondered what the inside of his house had looked like.

"I w-would like that." Itachi nodded and both stood up, loosely grasping Hinata's hand as they walked to his house. Hinata would have to meet Hidan, Itachi thought annoyed. Perhaps he wouldn't be there? Mentally he chided himself, Hidan was a friend ( an idiotic one but a friend nonetheless) and he was only staying until he got his sister back.

Hinata eyed the wooden door intensely as he opened it, magenta colored eyes blinked down at her and she squeaked almost hiding behind Itachi's back. She might have had he not been holding her hand, Hidan gave a grin.

"This is the b-" Itachi glared and Hidan snapped his mouth shut with a click, the message was clear. No cursing in front of Hinata.

"So this is the woman you've been seeing? I admit I thought you were freaking asexual." Hidan joked turning around to plop himself into the leather couch. Hinata blinked, they acted almost like Naruto and Sasuke only one cursed and the other had an infamous glare that could shut people up instantly.

"I assure you I am attracted to the opposite sex just as much as any male." Itachi countered, Hidan snorted.

"Then explain the fucking ponytail fucker." Itachi's eye twitched ad Hinata smiled, definitely like Naruto and Sasuke.

"I'll j-just start lunch." She stated removing (failing) Itachi's hand, he followed and Hinata smiled before beginning to cook he let her go afraid that she would burn herself should she try and cook with one hand.

It was a simply made lunch, onigiri and some teriyaki chicken. But it did not taste so simple, of course Hidan was very outspoken with this.

"Who the hell knew you could cook?" Hinata smiled.

"M-my mother taught me when I w-was little." Hidan nodded and continued to gorge himself with the food. Itachi's eyes narrowed in annoyance as he swiftly took Hinata's hand and led them both outside.

"I apologize for Hidan's behavior, he is not very polite so to speak." Itachi muttered all the while wishing he could strangle the seemingly immortal man.

"I d-do not think it was s-so troublesome. He I-is almost l-like Naruto in a w-way." Itachi snorted as the realization came upon him, she had placed himself and Hidan as Sasuke and Naruto. Itachi knew for a fact he was nowhere near as foolish as his little brother, of course Sasuke wasn't currently trying to muster up the nerve to start courting Hyuuga Hinata now was he?

"Hinata, I know we have not known each other long but…." His heart slammed into his rib cage as she looked up at him with those wide lavender eyes. He cleared his throat urging himself to continue with his words.

"I would like to if you allow it continue with these dates, I would like for you to consider being with me." Hinata's eyes widened, she knew that they held an odd working relationship, she didn't even know what they were but here he was offering to place a title to what they were.

"I d-don't know if I s-should Uchiha-sa" the utterly broken look that had been in his eyes when they first met had resurfaced with a vengeance, Hinata felt horrible.

"**_Please."_ **His voice seemed to constrict, Itachi felt hollow as if the rejection on its own wasn't bad enough. For some reason this hurt him, and he responded the only way he knew how. He saw as she bit her lip in confusion and a faint, faint trace of doubt. Did she doubt him?

"I see." He dropped her hand and began to build his mask up once again. Shock registered in her features and the slightest amount of guilt crept into him before he stashed it away. Hoping she wouldn't see how much this had hurt him. He turned away from her closed his eyes.

"Have a good day Hyuuga-san." And he didn't look back.

* * *

><p>Author's note: I planned to end this with a kiss, but this happened instead. Please don't kill me!<p> 


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: Don't own

Chapter Twenty two

Tayuya and Ten-ten's Plan

* * *

><p>"He did what?" Temari stated slowly, as if talking to a child.<p>

"I…I don't k-know for sure, b-but I hurt him and…he p-pushed me away. H-he doesn't want to see m-me anymore I t-think." Hinata whispered in her home, Temari and Ten-Ten where there, as well as Tayuya. Who by the way did not seem happy.

"That ass." Tayuya stated her blood red hair falling I front of her eyes, her flute was strapped to her back. She knew exactly what the Uchiha had done, and Ten-Ten did as well.

"Don't b-blame h-him it was m-my fault…h-he wanted to d-date me. S-so I t-tried to tell him about father. He was hurt…" Hinata whispered her eyes a sickly grey instead of the lavender that used to sparkle so brightly.

"I see, Ten-Ten, Tayuya can you leave me and Hina-Chan are going out." Translation, you hunt down Uchiha Itachi while I calm down Hinata. Tayuya couldn't be happier, she had wanted to beat down the uchiha ever since she had laid eyes on him. Why she didn't know, now however she had a perfectly valid reason to explain to the cops.

"Okay, cheer up soon okay Hina-Chan?" Ten-Ten told her shy little friend, Hinata forced a watery smile onto her face, coupled with the sickly grey eyes it really made her look hurt.

"Okay, so what's the plan?" Ten-Ten asked Tayuya, Tayuya smirked.

"I was thinking along the lines of an accident in your father's weaponry shop?" Ten-Ten rolled her eyes.

"Physical pain will do nothing to the guy, Sasuke told me that their company consists of fighting dojos. It's only natural he would know how to fight and avoid the weapons right? No we need to strike home, we need to break Uchiha Itachi's stone cold heart. The way he broke Hinata's." Tayuya gave Ten-Ten a long look.

"My respect for you has now gone up." Tayuya stated dryly, a smirk tugging at her tanned features.

"Good to know, so how are we going to go about this?" Ten-Ten asked Tayuya, who smirked once again.

"Itachi took Hina-Chan to a coffee shop right? Let's spook him, scare him or something." Ten-Ten shot Tayuya a long suffering look, before her chocolate brown eyes lit up.

"That's brilliant Tayuya, grab as many of Hinata's childhood pictures as you can! I'll set it up from here." Ten-Ten snickered, Shino would _love_ to help.

XXX

"Itachi-San?" Ten-Ten knocked on the door loudly, her knuckles turning white from her excitement. A shirtless pink eyed man answered the door with a scowl.

"Not so loud bitch, some people are trying to sleep." Ten-Ten's sweet smile faltered slightly but was back up again instantly.

"It's past twelve in the afternoon, now is Itachi home?" Hidan scowled and shouted.

"Itachi! Some Bitch is here to see you!" Ten-Ten heard a dull thud and some fast motions, followed by the slam of a door. _Poor door._

Itachi looked down on her, grey insomnia markings under his eyes, casting shadows over the ridges deeply carved into his face. His black shirt was ruffled, as if just thrown on. A frown was deeply etched into his face as if _disappointed._

"You would be?" He asked as Hidan left the doorway, Ten-Ten let her friendly smile drop.

"Hina-Chan's friend., the one who _didn't_ rip out her _heart_." Ten-Ten growled yanking Itachi outside and slamming the front door a scowl marring her face her teeth bared in a snarl.

Itachi's eyes were narrow, and Ten-Ten swore she saw a flash of dark red there before shrugging it off.

"I don't recall hurting anyone." Itachi told her, his jaw tight and locked into place.

_"Don't act stupid Uchiha it doesn't suit you. You're such a selfish ass you know that? You didn't even let Hinata finish what she was saying to you! What kind of person does that? You really are a heartless demon aren't you? You make me_ **_sick_**." Ten-Ten hissed jabbing him in the chest with each word.

"Are you done? I have work to do." Itachi drawled, Ten-Ten's tempered flared.

"Did you ever even like Hinata? I swear if you say you didn't I _will_ rip out your throat." Itachi raised a brow and left her outside as he went inside his house, her beating his door wouldn't help her it was solid oak after all. In fact, Itachi was quite angry with her display. If he wanted to, he could have had her arrested. Except, her words had stopped him. He, didn't think that Hinata had been affected...

A loud cutting sound made his head turn towards the door, a long Katana was forced through the door. Followed by another one and another, he scowled as he heard her walk away.

That was a perfectly good door.

XXX

"He's such an ass Tayuya, I'm not even sure if he even liked Hinata." Ten-Ten whispered to Tayuya who had bugged Itachi's room completely. Tayuya scowled.

"Itachi rarely shows emotions, what sort of sick pleasure would he get in breaking his rival's heart? I'm telling you, this will work." And she jabbed a giant red button, Itachi had to care about Hinata, if this didn't work, nothing will.

"Now we watch, seriously Shino is an expert at this sort of thing."

XXX

"_Okaa-san? Is this p-pretty?"_ Itachi scowled, could he not even sleep without thinking of her now? He put his arm over is face his eyes stinging.

_"Yes, it's very pretty."_ A more mature voice of a woman spoke, Itachi removed his arm and peeled his eyes open, only to find he was no longer in his room. The entire place was dark, his bed the only familiar place in the room.

_"Otou-san, w-where's Okaa-san?"_ Itachi watched as a little girl spoke to her father in a frozen picture.

_"She isn't coming back **Hinata."**_ Hiashi's voice cut through the air like a knife.

_"You're **weak**_**."** Itachi's eyes narrowed as he watched the pictures fly by him, all of a little girl with blue black hair and lavender eyes. Until they turned a sickly grey.

_"You are not **worth** my time."_

_"Leave you **worthless** brat."_

_"It is your destiny, and you cannot change it."_

**_"I… I'm not weak!"_**

_"What would he want with me?"_ Hinata's voice echoed in his skull making his breath catch, his head whipped around to find her. Only to find more pictures, all leading to a smiling Hinata as tears ran from her sickly _grey_ eyes to her cheeks.

_"I hurt him…I-it's not h-his fault."_ Her soft voice caressed his mind and he longed to hear it again.

_"I t-tried to t-tell him about f-father…b-but I hurt him. He w-was hurt because of me."_ He gasped his heart thudding wildly in his chest as the final picture appeared.

_"D-do…am I n-not **worthy** enough to be l-loved Temari?"_ Itachi ripped the covers from his bed and stood up quickly.

**_"Hinata!"_**

XXX

"So it ends." Tayuya said pressing the red button, Itachi's room returned to normal before their very eyes all that was left to speak was a broken man.

"I think we might have gone too far Tayuya, I mean this is _Uchiha Itachi_ and he's showing **_emotion_**." Ten-Ten whispered, Tayuya frowned.

"Perhaps, but this was the only way Neji would have done so to test him in the future. Better now than later. Besides we got out point across." Tayuya stated as Itachi ran from his house, still in his sleep wear.

* * *

><p>Author's note: Note to everyone, don't piss off Tayuya and Ten-Ten, especially Shino! Not really happy with this chapter...<p> 


	23. Romeo Keep Away From Juliet

Chapter Twenty-three

Romeo Keep Away From Juliet

* * *

><p>Realization dawned on him, his running slowed to a walk, until his walk slowed to a stop. What was he doing? It was practically midnight as it was and ….his dreams. Itachi's eyes narrowed; didn't he need an excuse to keep away from her in the first place? He had found one….had faked his hurt, yet…for some reason, she wouldn't leave him be.<p>

In the past few nights, he would find himself waking up, throat raw from something he did not, would not acknowledge. His vision even more blurred than it had become already. He was no fool….though he wished, even for a split second that he was.

If Itachi were a fool, he would have clung to her, rather than pushing her further and further away from him. If he were a fool, she would already be his. If Itachi were a fool, he knew he would admit what he desperately did not want to be true. He would admit the fondness that he felt when he saw her, he would admit to the ease his body semed to fall under when she walked besides him.

He would admit he had felt content, happy even, for the first time in a long while. Itachi would admit, that when he had clasped his hand over her own, his face had the slightest flush, he would have told her how beautiful she truly was. Itachi, would have been one of the luckier men. Had he only revealed himself.

His bare feet left no noise as he padded down the road, the Hyuuga estate seemed to loom over him, angrily almost. That warmth that once emitted from this place, gone, or rather, muted. Letting the true nature of the Hyuuga claw its way forth. Cold, harsh and manipulative.

It reminded him of his own father, and his heart skipped.

Was Hinata living the same way, he had been previously? Only to stop when forced out of place, out of her 'safety' and into the open? It struck him then, how little he truly knew of her, that thought alone seemed to rip an entirely new wound in his chest. It seemed to bleed, his heart felt as if it had been rubbed raw, agony seized upon him as a simple thought entered his mind.

What did he truly, really know of Hyuuga Hinata? Itachi knew…she was soft, gentle and shy….he knew she was the elder sister to Hyuuga Hanabi…..he knew she was good, no amazing at pool….Itachi knew she was _beautiful_, open and so fiercely loving. So much so that he wanted to be one of the ones she...

Itachi could name off so many things he knew…but none of this he knew was because she herself had told him. It was because Itachi had merely observed and captured those slivers of information, locking them away tightly under keys and chains. Why? Itachi had not known at the time...oh but did he know now. He knew, and it stung, burned and slashed deeply into him.

He licked his lips, knowing if he were to knock at the door now, he would be sent away. He would have to find her room, a window or back door. Not once did it occur to him that they would call the police, or rather, Itachi simply did not care enough to worry about himself.

Her room, it must be near the gardens. Hinata was fond of garden's, because of her mother. Itachi shook himself; beautiful pearlescent eyes were beckoning him in his mind's eye. He did not bother to fight the desire that rose and became swollen in his chest. He needed to know.

Know why he was doing this.

Yet he couldn't find a single reason that was logical. He only knew he had to see her, feel her touch once again. Involuntarily he shivered, recalling those sickly grey eyes, it would haunt him, it was haunting him, that he had caused such desolate change. So why? Oh why, why did he abandon such a sweet innocence? Such a delicacy was truly rare, and would be the only thing he could ever want, no _need. _

He crept silently alongside the walls, easily slinking, blending in like many of the shadows that stretched over this place. Tiger lilies created a sort of path for him to follow, the petals seemed to whisper. Whisper to him, why, why was he here? Why did he leave her alone?

Itachi froze; the tiger lilies gave way to red and white chrysanthemums, truth, and love. Now was not the time to think of flowers, he berated himself, though he wondered, how long have they been here? Were they new, or have they been growing for years here already?

That question did not matter, the full moon was there. It was offering him light, and he would take it. He followed the moonlit path, being sure to avoid walking directly upon it; he would not be seen by anyone.

Anyone other than _Hinata._

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity he came to a stop. A window, and a balcony, an old shake sphere like quality came to mind….and he felt it deep. He felt deeply what he was certain was his, boiling in his blood. It boiled, threatening to spill over should he not heed what he should have known so long ago. It boiled, reminding him, of what he should have taken.

So he grasped the side of the wall, surprised by the natural ledges he could use as footholds. Itachi was not complaining, but he was going to change such easy access to **_his Hinata_**. No one else should find such an easy path to her.

Steadily he climbed, daring not to look down should he lose his focus. He could feel his heart thudding loudly in his chest, and knew even here, should he fall, he would not lose his focus. Nor his determination. He had something worth living for, something he had not found in such a long, agonized time. He refused to let this slip through his fingers.

Itachi could not suppress the triumph that clasped over him, as he swung over the side of the balcony, his feet bare against the cool marble, he found the glass doors. As well as the open window. His body suddenly froze, what was he doing here? Why was he here again?

His feet led him to the doors; his hands opened briefly their fragile walls, the silence was nearly deafeningly loud. Yet….that was not what stole his breath. He could scarcely believe his own eyes, yet he did.

For she was there, the moonlight caressing her features in every such way that he had not dared to. But oh, did the longing strike him there, suddenly, as if it were a realization.

He kneeled besides her bed, an internal war raging within. Her midnight, abyss blue hair taunted him, like soft silk, it seemed to beg. Beg, touch me. Play with me. Itachi's eyes were drawn to her face, which was pale, pale and yet he could clearly remember the blood that rushed to her face when she was embarrassed. Or even when she was happy, and her laughter touched the winds.

He needed to speak with her, his ….his longing was becoming too much, much, much to much to bear on his own, all alone. Itachi was frozen, ebony eyes locked onto her silent features, pleading for her to awaken.

Like he had spoken aloud, she opened her beautiful, _hauntingly beautiful_ eyes.

* * *

><p>Author's note: Guess who decided to make a come back?! Take that writer's block!<p> 


End file.
